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

Here is another outstanding 2019 Brunello from a winery that is still considered an insider tip given its small size and limited annual production. Medium, bright ruby red colour. Exotic aromas of minerals and citrus fruits, reminiscent of red cherries, blood oranges and Asian spices, with a floral nuance that gains strength with air. The palate is supple and expansive, with sweet flavours of red cherries and dark plums carried by a powerful acidity. Densely packed, at once fleshy and broad, but also lively and precise. On the strikingly long finish, it shows excellent power and cut, characterised by youthful, dusty tannins and a hint of candied violets. As is so often the case, this is one of the best Brunellos of the vintage and still completely under the radar of many Sangiovese lovers. SUPERIORE.DE

Sesta di Sopras Riserva from the 2019 flagship vintage impressively presents a masculine and muscular personality in the glass. The nose has a striking aroma of dark fruits, wild berries, sour cherries, leather and tobacco. All of these components blend together seamlessly. A medium texture and density on the palate and a fantastically long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A textbook Pian delle Vigne: a full bouquet of small red berries, brown spices, mocha and tobacco, before musky cherries and sage follow. Its cool, creamy texture introduces a dense wave of ripe red and black fruits, with salty minerals and fine-grained tannins providing grip. It will show its full beauty in a few years, but with sufficient aeration it is already a pleasure today! SUPERIORE.DE

"Santa Caterina d'Oro" – the golden chalice of Siena, named after the award that Giuseppe Bianchini received three times as Winemaker of the Year before he died in 2004, shortly before the completion of the new wine cellar that he was never to see. But his legacy lives on: this Riserva is only produced in exceptional years – only ten times since 1995. The 2019 vintage is one of Montalcino's "modern-day greats": A warm summer followed by a cool autumn, which delayed the harvest from 11 September to 4 October and produced that magical balance between ripeness and freshness that characterises great vintages. From the oldest plots of the Pianrosso vineyard – those eleven hectares between 240 and 360 metres, where the iron-rich Galestro soils preserve volcanic heritage – the grapes for this monumental wine. After rigorous selection in the vineyard and in the cellar, it matures for 48 months in large Slovenian barrels, followed by a further twelve months in the bottle.

A Brunello Riserva that is only born in years that the winery considers exceptional. Not every great harvest produces a Caterina and certainly not a Riserva. It is the promise that Giuseppe Bianchini made to himself when he unexpectedly inherited an entire vineyard in 1985: he would create a wine that would be a monument to its terroir. The name has something sacred about it, a silent reference to the spiritual tradition of this landscape between the Abbey of Sant'Antimo and the hills of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. Santa Caterina d'Oro – the golden Catherine – as if to provide the wine with a patron saint, a protector of its long journey through time.

Fuligni's superb 2019 Riserva shows a beautiful tertiary intensity with wild berries and plums, followed by balsamic herbs, liquorice, grilled herbs and spices. We are delighted by the sheer opulence and richness of this wine, which remains pleasantly medium-bodied throughout, yet produces plenty of elegance and sufficient power on the other side. This Riserva from a top vintage never feels too heavy or too flat, but impresses with its disciplined energy and vitality. With each successive glass, the wine becomes a perfectly balanced world of modernity and tradition that is unrivalled in its wine form. 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.

Caparzo's La Casa vineyard, located in an enviable position on the hill of Montosoli, has been vinified separately since 1977 and is one of the first single-vineyard bottlings in Montalcino. Like the normal Brunello, La Casa has a surprising underlying acidity that gives the wine brightness and focus, and the northern exposure of the parcel has certainly played a role in this.

"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.

The Cotarella family's Le Macioche Brunello 2020 shows balance and character, opening with bright cherry fruit, menthol, balsamic herbs, minerals and soft earthy tones. On the palate, the wine unfolds with lightness, silky and refined, with a pure presentation of ripe red berries accompanied by violet-coloured flowers and a hint of leather. Although grippy and structured, it remains energetic and fresh on the final, leaving a hint of violets and lavender. SUPERIORE.DE

The fruit for this Brunello comes from a 14.4 hectare south-facing vineyard with loamy soils and lots of boulders. Complex, dark and earthy bouquet of ripe black cherries, enriched with notes of dried flowers, spices, crushed stones and a hint of animal musk. The palate reveals silky textures and pure Sangiovese fruit, underpinned by earthy tones supported by a network of minerals and tannins. The mouthfeel is always lean, tangy and soft, although you can feel the wine's full body and great appeal at all times. The final is polished and refined and lasts for several minutes. SUPERIORE.DE

Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli is one of those wines where you know you are in for an experience as soon as you smell the glass. Dark berries and cherries are followed by roasted nuts, gravel and slate. It is remarkably fresh and light on the palate, but also rich and exotic, with a silky texture that is layered with tart wild berries, savoury herbs and a hint of balsamic spice over a medium-bodied palate. Inner roses, violets, lavender and tart citrus - this wine is remarkably layered and has an unseen depth. The balance between lively acidity and increasing tannin keeps the experience alive. With only 3,800 bottles produced each year, Riccardo Campinoti creates a cru here that not only represents the individuality of Le Ragnaie wines perfectly, but is also hard to beat in terms of elegance and finesse. SUPERIORE.DE

Until the regulations were changed in 2016, 600 metres was the upper limit for Brunello di Montalcino. The grapes for Passo del Lume Spento come from a single vineyard located on a sandstone plateau at 621 metres above sea level. It displays fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smoky note. The medium-bodied, crisp and sinewy wine tastes of red berries pressed from rocky earth, accompanied by tangy acidity and remarkable freshness. The finish is still primary and mineral, with crisp tannins that give this single-vineyard cru a remarkable bite and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Brunello di Montalcino Petroso is only produced in the best years and in an extremely limited quantity - just 1,200 bottles of the 2019 vintage will be released onto the market. The exciting bouquet combines rich dark fruits with savoury spices, sage and violets to create a captivating spectacle. Soft and enveloping on the palate, initially quite feminine, with a mix of vibrant acids and minerals giving way to wild berries and pretty inner flowers. This cool, balanced and savoury wine already shows enormous purity and finesse when young, but with its grippy tannins it definitely needs more years to develop fully. With such a limited production, it is a shame that more people will not be able to enjoy this exceptionally beautiful Brunello. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Fornace come from a vineyard high in the hills of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. It is only vinified separately in the best vintages in a small production run of around 3,000 bottles. In the glass, Fornace presents itself with a saturated, dark garnet-red colour. It makes a great first impression, which is enhanced by the depth and intensity of its flavours. Its personality is slender, refined and noble. This wine eschews the classic primary flavours of red and purple fruit, instead composing a beautiful symphony of spices, balsamic herbs and camphor ash. A wonderful wine. SUPERIORE.DE

Of all five Le Ragnaies vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality. Like Passo Lume Spento, the grapes for this vinophile gem come from vineyards located 600 metres above sea level. The site is one of the highest in the entire appellation. Its fruit is harvested from old vines that are 60 years old or more. Vecchie Vigne offers a dramatic and pungent bouquet of wild berries, blue flowers, balsamic herbs and crushed stone. The tannins are firm and taut and, given the high altitude, it is not surprising that the wine and its Sangiovese character are particularly crisp and linear. This exceptional Brunello also has an elegant, savoury profile, a silky texture and brilliant acidity that adds juicy depth to the tart red fruits. We recommend ageing the wine for at least another 5 years to reveal its full potential and distinctive character. SUPERIORE.DE

Podere Uccelliera is located on the south-eastern slope of the hill of Castelnuovo dell'Abate, where the view falls on the extinct volcano Monte Amiata and the breeze from the Orcia Valley blows through the vineyards. Not a large estate, not a marketing machine. Nine hectares, one man, one idea of wine. Andrea Cortonesi comes from a Mezzadria family that cultivated these lands for generations, long before Brunello was a word the world knew. In 1986, he bought the old Podere – with centuries-old olive trees, half a hectare of vines and the firm intention of creating something lasting here. He had previously worked at Ciacci Piccolomini, Poggio di Sotto and Mastrojanni – as a cellar master, as an observer, as a learner. What he took with him was not a recipe. It was a flair. He vinified his first Brunello in 1991.

Until the regulations were changed in 2016, 600 metres was the upper limit for Brunello di Montalcino. The grapes for Passo del Lume Spento come from a single vineyard located on a sandstone plateau at 621 metres above sea level. It displays fresh aromas of lavender and fennel with warm, fragrant earth and a subtle smoky note. The medium-bodied, crisp and sinewy wine tastes of red berries pressed from rocky earth, accompanied by tangy acidity and remarkable freshness. The finish is still primary and mineral, with crisp tannins that give this single-vineyard cru a remarkable bite and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Riserva is not an automatic process at Fuligni. It is created when a vintage deserves it – and when the estate's oldest vineyards have produced something that is more than Brunello. More than good. 1972, 1976, 2002: vintages in which Fuligni simply did not bring any Brunello onto the market because the quality was not right. This consistency is rare, because you have to be able and willing to afford it. It is also the foundation on which a Riserva acquires its very special meaning. 2020 was not an easy year. Warm, dry, early ripening – a vintage that many producers dismissed as too lush, too soft. Fuligni saw it differently. The north-east-facing sites in Cottimelli, between 380 and 450 metres, on Galestro – stony, cool, with natural acidity even in hot years – dampened the heat and preserved the freshness. What was a challenge in flatter, warmer sites resulted in concentrated, healthy grapes with depth and surprising elegance. The oldest vines on the estate, over forty years old, with reduced yields and highly concentrated juice, provided the material for the selection.

The grapes for this wine come mainly from a vineyard in the north-east of Montalcino with Galestro soils at an altitude of 330 to 480 metres above sea level. In addition to five different sites there, the Neri family also owns three vineyards in the south between the villages of Sant'Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell'Abate. L'Etichetta Bianca, as this Brunello is called, is medium-bodied and noble and offers bright, fresh red cherry flavours. Hints of rust and warm stone as well as subtle sweet spices add complexity. Tactile but fine, sandy tannins give it the necessary grip, the finish is delicately salty, lively and fragrant. A classic from one of the best houses in the appellation. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for the Annata, which was certified organic for the first time in 2020, come from a 13-hectare site at an altitude of 500 metres. The soils here are somewhat lighter and stonier than the average for the appellation, with slate-rich Galestro and calcareous Alberese. As always, Poggio Antico's 2020 vintage is authentic and classic, with bright fruit tones, wild cherries, roasted nuts, blue flowers and forest floor. While the other wines in the portfolio mature in smaller tonneaux, this wine is aged in large Slavonian barrels. We like the energetic lift and the simultaneous brightness of the fruit - the winery achieves this like no other. As the wine progresses, the approach is very delicate with a convincing intensity of floral aromas and a silky mouthfeel. A lively acidity ensures balance and freshness right to the end, while a salty, mineral note is added on the finish. As always, this Brunello from the best winery is a safe bet! SUPERIORE.DE

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.

Castelnuovo dell'Abate has its own character – rougher, denser, more mineral than many other corners of the appellation. The clayey-sandy soils with their high proportion of skeleton, the altitudes between 150 and 350 metres, the lee of Monte Amiata, the cool nights from the Orcia Valley: anyone who plants vines here gets Sangiovese with attitude. Andrea Cortonesi has been planting here for almost four decades. 2021 demanded a lot from this terroir – and the winegrower – a lot. The late frost in April hit the lower vineyards hard and the harvest was around 15 per cent smaller than the previous year. A hot, dry summer followed before two rainfalls in the second half of August gave the vineyards water and the grapes their final aromatic depth. The long September nights did the rest: phenolic ripeness, without heat character, without compromising on freshness. What Uccelliera subsequently brought into the cellar was concentrated, healthy, clear and – and with that crisp fruitiness that makes Castelnuovo wines unmistakable.