Brunello

Luce Brunello has been one of the icons in the large portfolio of Frescobaldi wines from Tuscany for years. The 2019 edition opens with great power and determination with ripe fruit flavours of blackberries and candied cherries. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and very harmonious thanks to the bright acidity and the overall quality of the primary fruit flavours of this excellent vintage. The tannins are well woven into the full-bodied density of the wine. Be sure to aerate or, better still, leave to mature for a few years in the cellar. SUPERIORE.DE

Fantastic wine from terrific2019, which embodies the style of the winery just as convincingly as its high-altitude terroir. Fruity aromas of wild cherry, baking spices and savoury herbs characterise its hauntingbouquet. Elegance and fullness in the perfectly contoured flavour, which gives all the components the necessary freedom. One of the best Poggio Antico in a long time: deep, long and multi-faceted - a real beauty! SUPERIORE.DE

In the past, the northern slope of Montalcino was not planted with vines, but was cultivated with cereals, olives and cherries. In this area influenced by the Apennines, the seasons are more pronounced, continental and the north wind significantly lowers the temperature in winter. It is therefore the coldest Brunello region at this time of year, but also the wettest. This northern slope is a gentle hill: a characteristic that is more reminiscent of the Crete Senesi area, right next door, than the two stiffer, steeper and warmer southern slopes of Montalcino.

The name is a tribute. Giodo – composed of Giovanna and Donatello, the names of his parents. Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy's most important Oenologist, has dedicated his life to Sangiovese – as a consultant for estates from Montalcino to Etna and as the designer of some of the most influential wines in Tuscany over the last three decades. It was not a question of if he would found his own winery at some point, but when. In 2002, he found it: ten hectares in Sant'Angelo in Colle, south-west Montalcino, seven of them woodland, three for the vine. And the vine here is exclusively Sangiovese – 15 carefully selected clones, planted with the patience of a man who knows that great wines are not made, but accompanied.

Pianrosso comes from a south-west facing vineyard in the Castelnuovo dell'Abate subzone at an altitude of around 300 metres with mainly Galestro soils. It is dark, rich and deeply seductive, showing ripe black fruit enveloped in hints of gravel, sage and exotic spices. Although it has a velvety and almost creamy texture, it finds harmony through juicy acids and a blend of ripe black cherries and plums. Notes of liquorice and baker's chocolate balance the salty minerality and fine-grained tannins of the Pianrosso in a long and dramatic final. For a wine with such power, this is a beautiful symmetry. Definitely put it away for a few more years. SUPERIORE.DE

Pianrosso: the red field. The name tells of iron-rich soils that give the Sangiovese that mineral depth that no cellar in the world can imitate. 11.7 hectares on the south-eastern edge of Montalcino, between 240 and 360 metres above sea level, where ancient marine material meets Galestro slate. Giuseppe Bianchini had the vineyard replanted in the 1980s, knowing that the heart of the winery lies dormant here. Pianrosso is only bottled in superior years, a strict selection of the best grapes, a whole year longer in Slavonian vats than the classic Brunello. 36 months in large wood, then further rest in the bottle. The result is not a wine for quick enjoyment, but a document of patience. In 2021, Montalcino produced one of those vintages that you never forget: bright September days, cool nights, perfect phenolic ripeness.

"Pianrosso" – the red plain. When Giuseppe Bianchini began planting this vineyard in 1985, he knew that the heart of his heritage would beat here, on the iron-rich Galestro soils above the Orcia Valley. Eleven hectares between 240 and 360 metres, supported by the slate and marl subsoil that was once seabed before the nearby Monte Amiata left behind its volcanic minerality. Today, his son Paolo and his son Alex continue this legacy – three generations of Bianchini, who face Montalcino's hottest zone with organic cultivation and prudent restraint. The 2020 vintage demanded everything: July heat, which led to 15.5 per cent alcohol, but underneath lies the elegance for which Castelnuovo dell'Abate is famous.

Altesinos Montosoli is always a crowd pleaser and a beautiful wine. It shows depth, intensity and plenty of authenticity both in terms of the grape variety and the area. Dark cherries and blackberries rise from the bouquet with spices, pipe tobacco and damp earth in tow. The wine is complex and nuanced. The authenticity of the Sangiovese comes through clearly on the palate. It is a medium-bodied wine with polished but firm tannins and distinct acidity. The finish shows a touch of freshness, minerality, notes of mint and great depth. SUPERIORE.DE

Rennina from the dream year 2016 is a proud parade drop - everything is in the right place here and, for the true connoisseur, a lot more besides. Deep, almost impenetrable ruby red colour. Initially a rather closed nose with mineral notes and a hint of oak sawdust. Then gravel road, mint and hints of caraway. The palate is fleshy, powerful, with concentrated sour cherry fruit and a present but never intrusive tannin. Despite a certain opulence, it is a balanced wine that - away from the mainstream - is guaranteed to find its friends who will give it the necessary understanding, plenty of experience and patience. SUPERIORE.DE

The Spuntali vineyard is historically known as the best area of the south-west, sea-facing slope of Montalcino. Spuntali is a historic cru for Brunello di Montalcino: it is its unique terroir, it is also the sunniest and driest of the three slopes of Brunello, and the sea, just 40 kilometres away, already provides a Mediterranean climate here.

The 1.6-hectare Loreto vineyard is located on a slope right next to the winery and has an ideal south-east exposure. Vigna Loreto is only vinified in the best vintages and is an even more intense interpretation of the Sangiovese grape. On the palate, the texture is both creamy and robust, with a depth and fullness that make it very rich and exceptional. With further aeration, beautiful notes of black fruits, tobacco and spices. Aristocratic, powerful and very long. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Vigneti del Versante 2019 come from the Scopeta, Cancello Rosso and Bassolino di Sopra vineyards. Bright red colour. Very deep, complex, expressive aromas of red cherries, raspberries, balsamic oils, violets and sweet spices on the highly perfumed nose, clearly recognising the terroir of Sesta. Great fibre and density on the palate, with much of this power coming from the heavier soils of the vineyards. The overall expression is profound and precise with sharply defined aromas of wild berries, liquorice, lavender and lightly toasted almonds. Violets on the finish, supported by a silky, fine texture. One of the most stunning Brunello from the dream 2019 vintage, which, as always, comes onto the market a year later than its neighbours. SUPERIORE.DE

This dazzling wine is something for Sangiovese purists and lovers of extreme finesse. It literally vibrates with electric energy and charm. Opening with enticing aromas of roses, violets, berries, ploughed earth and new leather, it is youthfully intense but already a classic at this stage. With its velvety texture, it envelops everything it touches with masses of dark red fruit, liquid violet blossom, notes of lavender and sage, plus a subtle savoury note. Taut, refined tannins and bright acidity ensure a perfect balance and a promising, long ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

Poggio Antico's noble new addition to the portfolio makes its debut in the very first vintage with the typical class of the winery: precise and with great personality, it shows a lively fruit of outstanding quality, reminiscent of black plums, blackberries, pressed blueberries, plums, wild myrtle, milk chocolate, roasted hazelnuts and a light vanilla note. Citrus undertones and an elegant acid wire slim down the extract sweetness in the best possible way. Full-bodied on the palate, very well polished tannins and a solid, powerful finish that shows both muscle and relaxation. The grapes come from the small vineyard of the same name at over 550 metres above sea level. SUPERIORE.DE

Produced only in the best vintages and in small quantities, this Riserva follows the classic promise of a traditional and powerful Brunello that becomes softer and better with age. Brilliant deep red colour. Fragrant aromas of raspberries and blueberries, emphasised by violets, incense and cinnamon. Wonderfully sweet and penetrating on the palate, but light on its feet, with real class and energy, not to mention the powerful minerality of the densely packed flavours of red berries, pomegranate, tobacco and wild herbs. The finish is very long, supple and subtle with very fine tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

Cerretalto 2018 is an expressive, exuberant and impressive wine that opens with a dark ruby red colour and a rich texture. The bouquet is endlessly intense, closely followed by finely tuned aromas of black cherries, spices, grilled herbs, cloves, tobacco, damp earth and white truffle. Over time, elegant mineral tones unfold, and later these flavours transition into cola, liquorice and tar. The mouthfeel is silky and supple, and there is enough power to move the wine seamlessly across the palate. Cerretalto continues to develop endlessly over 24 hours in the glass. Clear case: this is a bottle for the back of your cellar. SUPERIORE.DE

This is the top wine from Il Poggione, and it is a must for anyone who collects wines from this famous vineyard. The estate's oldest parcel, Vigna Paganelli, is a 12-hectare vineyard that was planted back in 1964. It boasts a rich variety of old Sangiovese clones, which are used for the newer plantings.

Luce Brunello is dark and impenetrable, as always in its more international style. On the palate, it delivers ripe and round fruit flavours of blackberries and plums with plenty of opulence, power and breed. SUPERIORE.DE

This dazzling wine is something for Sangiovese purists and lovers of extreme finesse. It literally vibrates with electric energy and charm. Opening with enticing aromas of roses, violets, berries, ploughed earth and new leather, it is youthfully intense but already a classic at this stage. With its velvety texture, it envelops everything it touches with masses of dark red fruit, liquid violet blossom, notes of lavender and sage, plus a subtle savoury note. Taut, refined tannins and bright acidity ensure a perfect balance and a promising, long ageing potential! SUPERIORE.DE

The vines cover two hectares directly below the small chapel that gave the wine its name. This is the steepest, oldest part of the estate, where Alessandro Mori heard the bells over the vines as a child. If there is a wine that is to become his legacy, then it must come from here. Brunello Madonna delle Grazie does not appear every year. There was none in 2002 and 2014 – the grapes were not good enough. This decision costs money, but Alessandro Mori has never acted on it. What distinguishes the Madonna from all other Brunellos in the appellation – even from its own basic Brunello – is the vinification. While the classic Il Marroneto is born with fermentation temperatures of up to 40°C and intensive extraction, the Madonna follows the opposite path: two days of rest after the harvest, then cool fermentation at 28°C for three to four weeks. The extraction is gentle, almost tender – more of an infusion than a maceration, closer to Pinot Noir than to classic Sangiovese. Then matured for 40 months in neutral vats.

2020 was the year in which the silence of the vineyards became a calculation. While the world stood still, Montalcino's winegrowers transformed the enforced slowness into precision: vineyard by vineyard, vine by vine, with an attention that other years would not have allowed. At Poggio di Sotto, this benefited a winery that is never in a hurry anyway. The summer of 2020 was hot – no question about it. But Monte Amiata, always vigilant behind the vineyards, moderated with its cool nights. Rain at the end of September, then a long, leisurely autumn with thirty days of marked day-night difference. Poggio di Sotto harvested late, only at the end of September – and took its time. In hot years, the estate characteristically chooses the deeper plots for its Riserva: cooler clay and Galestro, the natural brake against over-ripening. The result is a 2020 that carries the warmth of the vintage without being dominated by it.

A Riserva is not created according to plan. It is created when a vintage forces the house to do so – when Leonardo Berti goes into the cellar after a long rest in barrels, listens to the best foudres and decides: this wine needs more time, and it deserves it. 2019 was such a year. Together with 2016, it is considered the benchmark of modern Brunello history – warm, but never too hot, with rain at the right time, a harvest between 5 September and 4 October that Berti describes as almost textbook. Two parcels were chosen for the Riserva, which reflect the terroir of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in all its diversity: Terra Rossa, at 220 metres, with reddish gravel soil rich in minerals and organic matter – structure and depth. Pietranera, the historical place name of the estate, near the Orcia river on pure Galestro – natural yield limitation, river freshness, finesse. Spontaneous fermentation in wooden vats, maceration for at least 30 days, then 48 months in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels – almost a year longer than the Annata. Bottled unfiltered. 5,500 bottles.

The PS comes from a 1.5-hectare plot in the oldest part of the Pelagrilli vineyards in the north-east of Montalcino and is only produced in small quantities in the very best vintages. Rich and intoxicating in the glass. It exudes a captivating blend of plum sauce, grilled sage, crushed stones and a pinch of savoury spices. Its velvety, almost creamy texture soothes the palate as it introduces a wave of ripe red and black fruits, complicated by salty mineral tones that add an almost crunchy feel towards the finish. It remains structured and youthfully dry, with superfine tannins that saturate, along with a tart concentration of wild berries and subtle nuances of tangerine. SUPERIORE.DE

Altesinos Montosoli displays the famous characteristics of this particular site, which are always characterised by a pronounced mineral intensity, with hints of crushed granite and lead pencil layers. The five-hectare vineyard has a higher concentration of Galestro clay-slate rock, and the altitude contributes to the freshness of the wine.