The 2019 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Asinone is intense with a bouquet of stone dust, dried violets, black currants and cocoa powder. This is elegance exemplified, velvety and soothing, yet energetic, with a dense wave of polished red and black fruits that wash across the palate, leaving minerals and sweet tannins to mingle toward the close. A subtle layer of sour citrus helps enliven the otherwise-structured finale as minty herbal tones slowly fade. The 2019 is a total darling and has the balance to mature beautifully in collectors’ cellars.