Wines from Tuscany | Montalcino

Sandro Chia's remarkable 2020 vintage is taut, forward and downright bold in the glass. On the palate, it impresses with a lot of natural richness and beautiful opulence of fruit, complemented by varietal elements of wild cherry, blue flowers and soft earth. Secondary flavours of tobacco, cedar and cinnamon then quickly surprise, adding complexity and personality to the wine, which is built up in many deep layers. It has wonderful potential for further ageing in the bottle, but it is already an absolute delight and the quality of the fruit and its length make it irresistible. SUPERIORE.DE

North-west of Montalcino, where the hills become wilder and shadier and the view extends towards the Maremma, lies Castello Romitorio in a secluded location that lives up to the name of the estate. Romitorio – hermitage. When Sandro Chia acquired the dilapidated castle in 1984, it had been uninhabited for decades, most recently a shelter for shepherds and their flocks. He paved it with art and planted the slopes with old Sangiovese clones – without knowing what speciality this north-western microclimate strip would one day bring to the bottle. The vineyards receive less direct sunlight than the southern slopes, the temperatures are cooler and ripening is later – conditions that give the Sangiovese elegance rather than vigour.

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

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

As every year, the grapes for Riccardo Campinoti's "white label" come from the scattered vineyards of Le Ragnaie, making the wine a precise and classic snapshot of the diverse Montalcino area and the wonderful 2019 vintage: violets and Mediterranean scrub meet wild strawberries, stones and a fascinating earthiness. It also epitomises the vibrancy of Sangiovese, which initially appears medium-bodied and then gains strength as firm, dusty tannins wrap themselves around a tangy core. The finish is energetic and uplifting - an elegantly moulded Brunello with impeccable symmetry and purity of fruit. As with the estate's single-vineyard bottlings, fermentation is spontaneous, maceration lasts 45 to 50 days and ageing takes place in large Slavonian oak barrels. SUPERIORE.DE

Le Ragnaie is located on the highest vineyards in Montalcino. Riccardo Campinoti, who took over the estate in 2002 together with his American wife Jennifer, has created a vineyard here at an altitude of – 530 to 600 metres above sea level, surrounded by oak forests, olive groves and a small lake – has realised a philosophy that cannot be taken for granted in Montalcino: maximum transparency. No purchasing, no concentration through technology, no new barriques. Natural yeasts, concrete tanks, long macerations, Slavonian oak barrels. The wine tells what the vineyard says – and nothing more. The name of the estate refers to the ragnatela, the spider's web – the shape of the traditional bird-catching nets that were once spun here when Montalcino was poor and people caught birds to feed themselves. The history of Brunello has changed this. But the nets – in the figurative sense – have remained: fine, taut, precise. Brunello di Montalcino is the assemblage of all the parcels of the estate – a combination of the different exposures and altitudes of the central zone, vinified separately and only bottled together after three years.

Poggio di Sotto was founded in 1989 in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, at the south-easternmost tip of Montalcino, where the view extends over the Orcia Valley and Monte Amiata breaks the hot summers. The estate lies at an altitude of 200 to 400 metres, on Galestro and Alberese – those slate-rich, poor soils that leave the Sangiovese no choice but to grow deep roots and concentrated yields. 20 of the 48 hectares are planted with vines. More than 180 Sangiovese biotypes grow here – a genetic heritage that no clone in the world can replace. The Rosso di Montalcino comes from the same vineyards as the Brunello – selected according to the same criteria, with the same hands, at the same time. What distinguishes it is not the quality of the grapes, but the time of release. Fermentation in wooden and concrete vats, spontaneous fermentation, long maceration periods, then 24 months maturation in 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels. Unfiltered.

Anyone looking for the truth in Sangiovese will find it here: Laura Brunelli's Montalcino has been a stunning wine full of vitality, life and energy for years. It displays an almost outrageous degree of clarity and openness. It unfolds brightly and radiantly with lasting purity, elegance and length. This Brunello shows extreme precision and focus, both on the nose and in the mouthfeel. Wild berries, blue flowers and liquorice come together in perfection, and it is impossible to surpass this quality at this price. SUPERIORE.DE

2019 was a strong year in Montalcino and this vintage shows balance and proud character. Opens with bright cherry fruit, menthol, balsamic herbs, minerals and soft earthy tones. On the palate, mint and sage form the backdrop to bright cherry with a hint of sweet spice. It's feminine and remarkably pretty, showing red fruits with savoury minerals and inner flowers that accumulate towards the finish. The tannins are round and nuanced, classically dry but in no way fatiguing or austere. This symmetry and great length are simply fascinating. SUPERIORE.DE

When Zefiro Pieri saw the old farmhouse in the hamlet of Sesta in 1950, between centuries-old olive groves and the rolling hills south of Montalcino, he knew that this was where he would stay. He planted the first Brunello vines, initially selling the grapes to others – until his grandson bottled his first own wine in 1991. Today, Claudio Monaci and Silvia Batazzi are the fourth generation to run the estate, while their daughters Caterina and Emma are already waiting in the wings. Sant'Angelo in Colle, just a stone's throw away, is considered one of the finest Brunello locations: volcanic, stony soils, permeable and warm, while the Orcia Valley carries the sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea 45 kilometres away to the vineyards. Claudio and Silvia select the best Sangiovese grapes of the vintage for their Riserva. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete with the vineyard's own yeasts, followed by 40 months of ageing in large vats – time enough to gain depth without losing the fruit. The 2019 epitomises a classic vintage in the best sense of the word: concentrated yet lively, with that balance that only comes about when cool nights and Mediterranean warmth play in harmony.

"The 2020 expresses itself through opulence, intensity, fruit and softness, but also manages to emphasise the depth and freshness, the floral notes, in an enveloping and elegant balance." Francesco Ripaccioli

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 2018 Brunello di Montalcino (of which only 4,000 bottles were made) offers great balance and a very pretty personality, based on bright cherries, some earthiness and crushed flowers on the nose. The wine is very supple and integrated, especially in terms of its polished tannins, and there is of course a wonderfully perky spot of bright acidity at the end. A beautiful wine full of verve and grace with waves of red and black berries over its savoury and mineral core. A rich, grippy tannin accompanies the juicy final, which ends with delicate notes of almonds and roses. SUPERIORE.DE

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.

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

Here is another outstanding 2020 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

Helichrysum is a selection of the best grapes from the highest parcel of the estate, where the soils are both clayey and of volcanic origin.

Caparzos Riserva 2019 is a big, powerful wine that needs at least a few years to mature. Dark and brooding, this Riserva shows the more masculine side of Sangiovese. Black cherry, plum, leather, spices and tobacco lie on a firm beam of acidity and tannin. This red has the explosive energy and finesse of the dream 2019 vintage and will need some time to mature before all the facets of this highly personalised wine come together – but as always with top wines: patience is rewarded! SUPERIORE.DE

"Fragrante, definite e verticale." This is how some Masters of Wine describe the 2021 Brunello vintage – fragrant, precise, vertical. Rarely does an official assessment so accurately capture the essence of a wine. Yet 2021 was not an easy year. An unusually late frost in April decimated the quantities, delayed growth and – and quietly did the wine some good. No extreme heatwaves afterwards. No drought stress to panic the vines. Instead: an even summer, dry ripening, a relaxed harvest from the end of September. The soils on the eastern slopes of Montalcino, a mixture of red clay, limestone and slate, came into their own in 2021. San Filippo's organic certification pays off particularly well in years like these: living soils that retain water and deliver precision.

This is certainly unique: one annual production. One barrel. Thirty hectolitres of Slavonian oak – and in it the entire Brunello Annata ambition of the Spina family. No second barrel as a reserve. No possibility to correct, top up or stretch. What matures in this container is the annual production of the Annata: the 2.5 hectares of Brunello vineyard at 380 metres near Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the limestone marl, the manual labour of four decades, the decisions of each year. Sesta di Sopra produces around 4,000 bottles of vintage Brunello – which is less than some estates tacitly allow to disappear into the assemblage. 2021 was the year of transparency in Montalcino. Cool nights and warm days gave the Sangiovese that nervous tension that critics describe with the term "vertical" – energy instead of mass, precision instead of fullness. In the one barrel in which Sesta di Sopra matured its grapes, this vintage could only convince!

Montalcino is a hill. To be more precise: a single large cone of limestone, marl, slate and sand that rises above the Val d'Orcia – exposed to the north, south-east and south-west, characterised by three completely different climates. Most of the producers in the appellation have access to one of these slopes. Val di Suga has all three. Vigna del Lago in the north-west, Poggio al Granchio in the south-east, Vigna Spuntali in the south-west. Three soils, three microclimates, three characters – and a single winery that unites them all under one roof. The basic Brunello is the result of this unique position: a cuvée from all three sites that does not aim for simplification, but for synthesis. Fermentation takes eight to twelve days at a controlled temperature, with maceration lasting a further two to three weeks. Maturation in traditional 50-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months, followed by six months in concrete and then the bottle. The 2021 vintage brought a late frost in April – the harvest was reduced, the quality concentrated. A dry summer without extreme heat, a long, even autumn. The Consorzio and a jury of eight Masters of Wine agreed on three words to characterise the vintage: fragrant, precise, vertical.

Montalcino in November 2008. Gianni Brunelli's thread broke – as Laura herself put it (he passed away). Anyone familiar with the elegance with which the winery has been run since then will understand that this was not the beginning of an end, but rather a different kind of continuity: quieter, more focussed, perhaps even more resolute. Laura Brunelli, biologist, Sardinian, soul of two institutions for decades – osteria Le Logge in Siena and the wineries on the slopes of Montalcino – has not replaced Gianni. She has carried on. And that's a difference you can feel in the glass.