Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2020

Az. Agr. Altesino | Tuscany
Altesino s.r.l. s.a. | Loc. Altesino 54 | IT 53024 Montalcino

09682820 · 0,75 l · 132,00 €/lavailable immediately

Riserva is not a marketing term – it is a legal obligation. A Brunello may only be called Riserva if it is marketed in the 6th year after the grape harvest at the earliest – at least two years in oak barrels and six months in the bottle. And it may only be produced if the vintage justifies it. So there is not a Riserva every year. It is only produced when the grapes demand it. And 2020 demanded it: a warm, dry year in Montalcino with concentrated ripeness, smaller berries and an intensity that gives fullness in the Annata-Brunello – and becomes something deeper in the Riserva. Altesino selected the best grapes from its four main parcels: Altesino, Macina, Pianezzine, Castelnuovo dell'Abate. 100% Sangiovese Grosso. Traditional fermentation, maturation in large oak barrels, then bottle ageing. Altesinos Riserva 2020 brings the power and concentration of the vintage.

Garnet red colour with deep luminosity. Intense and slightly ethereal on the nose – ripe fruit, humus, tobacco, dried violets, a hint of vanilla and spices. Remarkable structure and extraordinary breadth on the palate – powerful, balanced, with great depth. Storage potential: 20 to 30 years. For the impatient: decant. For everyone else: wait, it's worth it! SUPERIORE.DE

"The Altesino 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows dark fruit and earthy notes with pressed flower and grilled herb. This vintage feels ready and accessible, and there is a budding hint of evolution that recalls smoke and tar. The wine is open-knit with a velvety, full-bodied texture. Fruit is sourced from across 25 hectares on mostly limestone alberese soils." Wine Advocate

"The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is darkly floral, blending wild herbs with dusty dried violets and hints of wild blueberry. It possesses a pretty inner sweetness and graceful feel, with nuances of tart citrus elevating its red and black fruits. A staining of wild berry concentration mingles with edgy tannins, while a bump of residual acidity maintains lovely balance." Vinous

"Rich and round, exhibiting black cherry, blackberry, earth, vegetal and mineral flavors. Builds to the finish, with stiff, grainy tannins, delivering fine concentration and length. Still lively and needs time." Wine Spectator

"Sweet berry, cherry, orange peel, plum and sandalwood aromas and flavors. It’s medium- to full-bodied with chocolate, toffee and cedar flavors highlighting the cherry fruit. Some orange peel at the end." James Suckling

"A selection made by consulting oenologist Paolo Caciorgna, Altesino’s Riserva is crafted with cellaring in mind. Bunches are chosen row by row and analysed to determine which are most suitable for long ageing. While the current release has both the stuffing and structure for a healthy stint in the cellar, it also boasts fairly immediate appeal, particularly in its aromatic composition. A compelling juxtaposition of alpine herbs and Mediterranean brush plays out on a backdrop of blackcurrant. Supple and layered, the fruit is masterfully hemmed in by chalky tannins. This should reveal more of its complexities with time." Decanter