La Gerla

The name tells of ancient craftsmanship: "Gerla" was the name the winegrowers gave to the conical baskets they carried on their backs during the harvest. In 1976, Sergio Rossi acquired the estate from Tedina Biondi-Santi – together with her family's legendary Sangiovese clones. Today, La Gerla is the only family-run winery in Montalcino that still works with this historic heritage. Poggio gli Angeli comes from young vines in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the warm south of the appellation, vinified with the same care as the Brunelli of the house, only matured for a shorter time: four months in large Slavonian barrels preserve the impetuous fruit.

What makes Alberto Passeri's Rosso di Montalcino so special? He is not one to compromise. The grapes come from the same plots as the great Brunello, from the historic vineyards of Canalicchio in the cooler north and the warmer slopes of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. This dual origin is the secret: the elegance and finesse of the north blend with the power and ripeness of the south. Whilst other producers bottle their Rosso after just a few months, La Gerla allows it a full two years' maturation: six months in stainless-steel tanks, twelve months in large Slavonian oak barrels, and a further six months in the bottle. This patience pays off.

A wine that bears its creator in its name: "Birba" – little cheeky bastard – is what they called Sergio Rossi, the visionary founder of La Gerla. What began as an experiment became a homage: a Brunello that follows all the rules except those of the wooden barrel. Instead of maturing in the large Slavonian vats like its noble siblings, the Birba spends up to fourteen months in French barriques from Allier and the Vosges, a third of which are new – a third of them new. The thirty-year-old vines on the slopes of Canalicchio, between 270 and 320 metres above sea level, produce tiny yields of just 50 quintals per hectare. Fifteen days of maceration extract substance and depth before the wood leaves its spicy signature.

When Sergio Rossi took over Podere Colombaio from the Biondi-Santi family in 1976, nobody could have guessed that the Milanese advertising expert would become one of the architects of modern Montalcino. He was one of the 24 founders of the Consorzio, one of the first 35 Brunello bottlers of an appellation that will number over 250 by 2024. What he brought with him: the legendary Sangiovese clones of Biondi-Santi, planted on marl and limestone in Canalicchio – vines that are now over forty years old. Brunello 2020 unites two souls: the cool elegance of the north from the historic Canalicchio parcels and the sun-kissed vigour of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. The wine rests for three years in large Slavonian barrels and a further eight months in the bottle – time that you can taste.

Brilliant, dark ruby colour. Deep bouquet of rich blackberry and cherry flavours with mentholated herbal notes that give it lift, while notes of cedar and clove develop in the glass. On the palate, the wine is a pure silk that slowly lays over the palate, with an admirable density and weight balanced by bright acidity and minerality. This still very young wine is full of potential with a core of dark primary fruit that already offers a good foretaste of the charm of later years. A finely woven tannin structure on the long final. Wonderful ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

The estate is situated at an altitude of 320 metres, right on the hill of Montalcino, and in its cellar, beneath a 15th-century tower, large Slavonian oak casks rest alongside the finest bottles dating back to the 1976 vintage. In that same year, former advertising executive Sergio Rossi purchased the Colombaio, which had previously belonged to the Biondi Santi family, and renovated it from the ground up. He died in 2011; his wife, Donatella Monforte, continues his legacy, whilst Oenologist Vittorio Fiore has been with the estate since the very beginning. The 11.5 hectares of vines, exclusively Sangiovese Grosso, are situated on either side of the hill, near Canalicchio in the north-east and near Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south-east. The vines are on average 30 years old; the grapes are harvested by hand, and only the very best are selected at harvest. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 30 degrees in stainless steel tanks, with the wine remaining on the skins for around 15 days. The wine is then aged for at least 24 months in 50- and 100-hectolitre barrels, followed by a further twelve months in the bottle.

The history of La Pieve began in 1997 with a decision: Sergio Rossi decided to plant further vineyards in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, to the south-east of Montalcino. The land there follows the slope like a natural amphitheatre; the vines are planted in a radial pattern on the hillside and receive plenty of sunshine. The soil is predominantly sandy-silty, rich in rock fragments and with a significant limestone content. The slopes provide protection from cold northerly winds and salty sea breezes, and the nights cool down considerably. From this, the estate produces a single-vineyard Brunello which, in the estate's view, epitomises elegance and precision. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted on harvest; the berries are destemmed, followed by approximately two weeks' fermentation on the skins in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then transferred to large Slavonian oak barrels for ageing.

Brunello di Montalcino Gli Angeli Riserva 2018 is stunningly beautiful. Its seductive presentation beguiles with rich dark fruits, sweet mint, spice and a grounding hint of floral undergrowth. Its textures are seamless, gliding over a core of fresh, bright acids that flank its black cherry and redcurrant flavours. Notes of liquorice, tobacco and sweet herbs linger long over a gentle layer of fine tannin. It has a juiciness, finesse and structure that will give it a long life. SUPERIORE.DE

Six of the estate's 11.5 hectares are situated at Canalicchio, halfway up a north-easterly and easterly-facing slope; this is where "Gli Angeli" is grown – a plot of just over two hectares which the estate describes as its premier vineyard. The soil is of medium texture, brooding and rich in galestro, with a moderate limestone content and a good proportion of silt – quite unlike the sandy-silty, stony soils on the other side of the hill. The summer is dry and cool, with light breezes sweeping through the rows; the grapes ripen slowly. Planting took place in several stages, beginning in 1965 and most recently in 2022, and the Riserva is produced only from the oldest vines, and only in truly exceptional years. 2019 was such a year. The best berries, harvested by hand, are first passed over the harvestand then left to macerate in stainless steel for around two weeks. The wine is then aged for four years in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by a year in the bottle, before it goes on sale.

Bright ruby red with a light rim. Equally bright and very complex bouquet of wild berries, strawberries, dried fruits, tar and balsamic herbs. On the palate, a very attractive, supple texture, again a beautiful red berry fruit in the drink, plus traces of blackcurrant, blueberry and liquorice. In the long, squeaky clean finish, traces of well-integrated light wood and a very appealing silkiness. SUPERIORE.DE

When Sergio Rossi took over Podere Colombaio from the Biondi-Santi family in 1976, nobody could have guessed that the Milanese advertising expert would become one of the architects of modern Montalcino. He was one of the 24 founders of the Consorzio, one of the first 35 Brunello bottlers of an appellation that will number over 250 by 2024. What he brought with him: the legendary Sangiovese clones of Biondi-Santi, planted on marl and limestone in Canalicchio – vines that are now over forty years old. Brunello 2020 unites two souls: the cool elegance of the north from the historic Canalicchio parcels and the sun-kissed vigour of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the south. The wine rests for three years in large Slavonian barrels and a further eight months in the bottle – time that you can taste.

Brunello di Montalcino Gli Angeli Riserva 2018 is stunningly beautiful. Its seductive presentation beguiles with rich dark fruits, sweet mint, spice and a grounding hint of floral undergrowth. Its textures are seamless, gliding over a core of fresh, bright acids that flank its black cherry and redcurrant flavours. Notes of liquorice, tobacco and sweet herbs linger long over a gentle layer of fine tannin. It has a juiciness, finesse and structure that will give it a long life. SUPERIORE.DE