Wines from Tuscany | Montalcino

Katia and Luigi's Brunello di Montalcino opens with dark fruits, cherries, forest herbs and dried plums. This is accompanied by a fine fruity sweetness, framed by notes of tar, smoke and exotic spices. The dark and ripe intensity of the fruit is closely interwoven with the flavours of oak and the stately proportions of the wine. The long and well-structured finish is characterised by liquorice and mint, flanked by a layer of fine tannins. What we particularly like about this Brunello is that it is already full of finesse and class and is already showing its beauty at a young age. SUPERIORE.DE

Pianrosso: the red field. The name refers to iron-rich soils that give the Sangiovese a mineral depth that no winery in the world can replicate. 11.7 hectares on the south-eastern edge of Montalcino, at altitudes between 240 and 360 metres, where ancient marine deposits meet galestro schist. Giuseppe Bianchini had the vineyard replanted in the 1980s, knowing that the heart of the estate lay dormant here. Pianrosso is bottled only in exceptional vintages, following a rigorous selection of the finest grapes, and spends a whole year longer in Slavonian botti than the classic Brunello. Thirty-six months in large oak, followed by further ageing in the bottle. The result is not a wine for immediate enjoyment, but a testament to patience. In 2021, Montalcino produced one of those vintages you never forget: glorious September days, cool nights, perfect phenolic ripeness.

On the estate stands a 19th-century railway station – silent, frozen in time, no longer in use. The wine produced here has something of this image about it: it does not rush; it waits. And the 2021 vintage arrived quietly anyway – no record-breaking summer, no headlines, just a cool spring, moderate heat and day-night temperature fluctuations that gave the Sangiovese exactly what it needs: space to mature. Tenuta Pian delle Vigne lies six kilometres south-west of Montalcino, on calcareous loam with a fine gravel content, facing south-west, at around 130 metres above sea level. Owned by Antinori since 1995 – and ever since then unwaveringly committed to the same principle: large wooden casks ranging from 30 to 80 hectolitres, which preserve the Sangiovese fruit rather than dominate it. No barrique dictates, no trendy embellishments. Just conviction.

The bouquet shows a phenomenal blend of pure fruit with wild berries and herbs, before further depths of floral undergrowth and smoky nuances are added. The palate is full, silky smooth, with polished red and black fruits, then savoury spices and hints of sour citrus as it progresses. A hint of liquorice and mint lingers together with a layer of ultra-fine tannins on the long and lightly structured finish. For us, the San Polino Brunello is a prime example of finesse and elegance every year and a beauty on all levels. SUPERIORE.DE

Castelnuovo dell'Abate lies in the south-easternmost corner of the Denominazione – further away from the cool northern slopes of Montalcino, and closer to Monte Amiata, the extinct volcano that moderates the climate of the area. When Gabriele Mastrojanni bought the Poderi Loreto and San Pio estates in 1975, there was hardly anyone here. The land was barren, the soils low in clay but rich in sandstone, tuff and pebbles. That was precisely the reason. Today, Andrea Machetti, as CEO, and Oenologist Maurizio Castelli continue to run the estate in the spirit of its founder – with a consistency that knows no compromise: no herbicides, no chemical interventions whatsoever since November 2022, fermentation in concrete tanks with wild yeasts, and extended ageing in large Allier oak barrels ranging from 16 to 54 hectolitres. The Brunello is crafted from a blend of different plots – varying exposures, altitudes between 180 and 420 metres, and vines of different ages – and derives its complexity from this.

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.

Poggio Landis Brunello Riserva from the dream vintage 2016 is rich in fascinating floral notes. This wine is a statement of elegance and sensory freshness. Elderflower, geranium, noble magnolia and camphor on the nose. Full-bodied, powerful and lively on the palate, it is bursting with vigour and healthy tension with fine-grained, velvety tannins and a long, ethereal finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1991, Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum discovered an abandoned hilltop south-east of Montalcino: no water, no electricity – but 600-year-old olive trees and soil that had not seen any chemicals for decades. That was exactly what they were looking for. Gigi, a Friulian with experience in mapping biodiversity in the Amazon, and Katia, a London-based anthropologist, became pioneers of the biodynamic movement in Montalcino. All vintages have been certified organic since 2001. Of the 35 hectares, only four and a half are planted with vines. The rest: woodland, wilderness, corridors for animals and insects. "I see every bottle as a work of performance art," says Katia. "Our entire philosophy of life is embodied in the wine." The entry-level Brunello comes from the northern slopes, on loamy-marly soils. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, followed by three-and-a-half years' ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels.

"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.

Mulino comes from a lower-lying vineyard with a high proportion of marine fossils in the soil. It is dark and rich in the glass, with notes of plum jam, balsamic herbs, pine shavings and cloves, but also with a mentholated freshness that centres the whole experience. On the palate, it glides like pure silk, elegant and supple, with ripe, balsamic fruit and a hint of sweet mint. Finishes with a powerful structure and persistence, leaving behind nuances of cedar wood and red plums. SUPERIORE.DE

Medium, radiant ruby red. Complex nose of sweet and cedar wood, paired with Mediterranean maquis and delicate sweet cherry. In the mouth, balsamic notes, very finely woven tannins and a wonderful complexity that envelops the juicy fruit core and gives the wine an impressive depth and length. The elegance is also very impressive and will certainly increase with further maturity. SUPERIORE.DE

In the early 14th century, a document from Castelnuovo dell'Abate mentions a place name: "Vallocchio Brunello" – situated between the fields known as "Podio Rubeo" and "Piage di Monte Caprile". This is the earliest documented reference to viticulture in this municipality. Seven centuries later, the five oldest vineyards of Tenuta Fanti stand on precisely this land. History has never ceased here. Filippo Fanti has studied, tended and observed this terroir for decades. In 2010, the time had come – the first Vallocchio. Since then, it has been released only in exceptional vintages: no pressure, no annual promise, but a selective statement of what the site truly has to offer in a particular season. Five hectares, vines aged between 20 and 35 years, well-drained, medium-textured galestro soils at an altitude of 230 to 250 metres above sea level. Hand-harvested from the second half of September until mid-October, depending on the aspect and plot.

Gentle balsamic notes with rosemary and lavender scents on the nose. When it opens in the glass, you can get a clear picture of the dark fruit at its centre and the delicate particles of chalk dust that frame the bouquet. The fruit for this wine comes from a five-hectare plot with alkaline soils that are rich in numerous mineral components. The complexity of the soils is reflected in the attractive bouquet, and this outstanding Riserva vintage offers a rich structure, velvety tannins and persistent intensity. SUPERIORE.DE

Neris Edel-Rosso was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of only producing wines from the best terroirs around Montalcino, the small 7-hectare plot with over 45-year-old vines was acquired in 2018. This was preceded by over 40 years of friendship with the previous owners, with whom Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured and cared for them over the past decades. Incidentally, the best grapes from this vineyard have been used for a small quantity of the eponymous Brunello di Montalcino since the 2018 vintage.

Nastagio (also known as Nastasio) is the name of an ancient farmhouse of the Fattoria di Sant'Angelo, which was already recorded in the maps of Grand Duke Leopold. Brunello Nastagio is released on the market five years after the harvest, as if it were a Riserva, and is the result of the many years of experience that Col d'Orcia has gained in the development and cultivation of the Sangiovese vineyard. It is also the result of the many research chapters that Col d'Orcia has been carrying out with the University of Florence for more than twenty years. The ageing in tonneaux (500 Liters) oak barrels and then in the traditional large "botti" represent an ideal combination between tradition and modernity, while maintaining the essential aspect of longevity.

Laura Brunelli's Brunello is an outstanding reflection of the appellation every year. A floral bouquet, the purest expression of cherry and strawberry imaginable, hints of mint, sage and cedar dust - all are found in its stunning bouquet. The youthful density of the ripe primary fruit contrasts with salty minerality and lively acidity, leaving a cascading and crisp impression on the palate. SUPERIORE.DE

700 bottles. That is the entire production of this Vin Santo – from the Vigneto delle Valli at 420 metres, 5,000 vines per hectare, 1.5 kilograms of grapes per vine. Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca, half each, harvested by hand in the first days of September 2018 and then transferred to the appassimento. The grapes were left to dry for four months in the ventilated appassitoio – four months in which the water drained away, the sugar concentrated and the flavour intensified. Then manual pressing with a mechanical hand press. What remains finds its way into 100-litre chestnut Liters– sealed with the winery's mother yeast, which is passed on from vintage to vintage. There the must rests, ferments slowly and matures for five years. Five years in which wood, yeast and time do their part.

Neris Edel-Rosso was born with the purchase of a very special vineyard. True to the winery's philosophy of only producing wines from the best terroirs around Montalcino, the small 7-hectare plot with over 45-year-old vines was acquired in 2018. This was preceded by over 40 years of friendship with the previous owners, with whom Giovanni Neri planted the vines and nurtured and cared for them over the past decades. Incidentally, the best grapes from this vineyard have been used for a small quantity of the eponymous Brunello di Montalcino since the 2018 vintage.

In 1971, Giovanni Neri bought Podere Casanova, east of Montalcino. He was 48 years old, a grain merchant from Montevarchi, and had just one dream: to produce a great Italian red wine. At that time, the Brunello DOC comprised barely thirty producers; the area was rugged and undeveloped. Giovanni Neri saw what others had not yet seen. He lived long enough to introduce his son Giacomo to the business – but not long enough to see what became of that first Podere. Giacomo and his sons, Gianlorenzo and Giovanni, have seen it. To mark the estate's fiftieth anniversary, they dedicated a wine bearing the founder's name to him.

There are wines whose history is also told through their label. It used to say "Joanni" here; today it says "Ioanni" – a subtle shift that reveals more than just a preference for a particular spelling. "Merlot" used to be proudly displayed on the label; today, it simply reads "Rosso Toscana IGT". The reasons may lie in the intricacies of wine legislation or in the family's strategic considerations – yet the wine itself remains what it has always been: a rarity, an experiment, a statement – a top-class Merlot! The small Bandita vineyard is situated in the south-eastern part of Montalcino, where the tuff and clay soils provide this international grape variety with the fertile ground it needs. Low yields, late harvest at optimal ripeness – the prerequisites for concentration and depth. Paolo Vagaggini, who has shaped Fuligni's oenological signature for decades, vinifies this Merlot with the same meticulous care that characterises the great Brunellos. Yet here he allows himself more time: the grapes mature for three years in French Allier tonneaux, followed by a further year in the bottle, before the wine leaves the estate.

Castello Romitorio's 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the 5-star vintage in Montalcino (consortium rating), showing plenty of ripe fruit, minerality, herbal nuances and varietal purity. This wine hits the sweet spot between elegance and power, which is not easy to achieve. It offers a wide range of Sangiovese flavours with wild cherry, forest floor, crushed clove and medicinal herbs, but it also shows a plump density and a velvety texture. Filippo Chia and his team have created a highly attractive Brunello for medium to long drinking. SUPERIORE.DE