2016 Nittardi Nectar Dei Maremma Toscana 750 ml

Nittardi’s 2016 Nectar Dei checks all the boxes—critical acclaim, peerless winemaker, a historic estate, excellent vintage—like few that don’t end in “aia” can. It’s a deep and impeccably balanced Super Tuscan that we never leave out when discussing the region’s standard-bearers.

Rarely imported to the US, Nittardi doesn’t carry the same name recognition for most American drinkers as other Super Tuscan powerhouses. But one sip, and you know you’re in the presence of greatness. 

The Nectar Dei’s price tag belies the monumental pedigree behind it. It derives its sleek power and suave complexity from prime terroir on a 1,000-year-old estate. Crafted by legendary Wine Enthusiast Winemaker of the Year Carlo Ferrini, its 94-95-point score comes within a single point of 2016 bottles of Lodovico ($450+) and Fontodi's Flaccianello della Pieve ($241), making this an unthinkable value.  

Wine Access members have called previous Nittardi reds “magnificent in every way,” claiming, “The moment you sip it you want to finish the bottle.” We’d say the same of this 2016, which comes from a vintage widely heralded as one of Tuscany’s best of the decade, especially along the coast. 

This is a thrill ride of a wine, exhilarating in the best possible way. The nose spins red fruit with espresso, baking chocolate, charcoal, dried sage, and clove, while black fruit and spice on the palate are framed by firm tannins. It’s immediately clear why Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has called Nittardi’s flagship cuvée “the proverbial Big Boy wine,” and why Steven Spurrier named Nittardi as “one of my favorite producers.”

The Nittardi estate was originally a military fortification called the “Nectar of the Gods” (hence the cuvée’s name, Nectar Dei). The artist Michelangelo owned it at one point, and he loved the estate’s wine so much that he sent it to the Pope as a gift—a tradition that continues to this day.

This Nectar Dei emanates from the estate’s vineyards in the Maremma, just five miles from the sea. The southern Maremma’s low rainfall and generous sunlight make for exceptionally concentrated grapes, while its maritime influence maintains aromatic levity.