CASTELLARE DI CASTELLINA Toscana I Sodi di San Niccolò 2016 $100 (96 points)

The initial impression is the charred, sweet oaky aromas, then aeration quickly reveals black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, wild herb and iron flavors. There is a certain austerity here too, accentuated by the dense, dusty tannins, yet this is complex, balanced and long, with an acetic feel to the lingering finish. Be patient. Sangioveto and Malvasia Nera. Better than previously reviewed. Best from 2023 through 2048.