Brunello di Montalcino “Helichrysum” DOCG 2021 (BIO)

San Polino | Tuscany
Az. Agr. San Polino | Loc. Pod. S. Polino 163 | IT 53024 Montalcino

29812321 · 0,75 l · 100,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately
Limitation of 6 articles per customer

On warm days, a resinous, musky scent rises from the hedge edges. Helichrysum – the immortelle, the Italians also call it "Immortelle", the immortal. It grows wild among the rocks and bushes that line San Polino's highest vineyards. When Katia and Gigi were looking for a name for their best wine, they didn't have to look far. The five hectares surrounding the farmhouse lie at an altitude of 450 metres, facing south, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and forest. The view extends to Monte Amiata – the sacred mountain of the Etruscans, seat of their highest gods, the Tuscan Olympus. The soils tell of two powerful forces: the volcanic eruption of Mount Amiata 180,000 years ago, which left behind quartz and metamorphic clay, and the retreat of the Pliocene sea, which left behind sandy loams and shell fossils. Thin, complex soil – poor in nutrients, rich in character. Up here, the scirocco blows from the Sahara. The temperature differences between day and night are enormous. The grapes ripen slowly, develop thick skins and concentrated flavours. "Ah ... 2018," Katia once said about a cooler vintage, "finally you can smell Sangiovese grapes instead of just blackcurrant and undergrowth." Helichrysum is all about precisely this clarity – terroir instead of heat, soil instead of opulence.

San Polino has been practising "vitiforestry" in the Etruscan-Roman tradition since 2018: fruit trees on the edges of the vineyards and, since 2022, field maples between the rows of vines. The roots connect with the mycorrhiza networks of the vines, create shade and increase resilience. Microbiological sprays made from forest humus and green compost replace pesticides. "We work with scientists and university researchers," explains Katia, "to create a microbiological balance in which no disease dominates." Harvesting is done by hand, usually at the beginning of October, a few days after the basic Brunello. Three days of cold maceration at 12 degrees fixes the colour, then spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in conical oak vats, 40 to 45 days of maceration on the skins – gentle pumping over to protect the fragile skins. Malolactic fermentation is followed by six months of bâtonnage in French barriques, then a further three years in large Slavonian and French barrels. Only ten per cent new wood – enough for structure, not enough to dominate the wine.

Deep, bright ruby red with garnet reflections. The nose opens slowly, requiring patience and aeration. Then: sour cherry, wild strawberry, sage, a hint of camphor and mint. Behind that: leather, pipe tobacco, cedar wood, dried Mediterranean herbs – lavender, broom and fennel. The immortelle itself seems to rise up, resinous and mysterious. On the palate, Helichrysum is taut, compact, concentrated – and yet never heavy. A carpet of dark cherry, underlaid with exotic spices, framed by tannins that cling to the palate like terracotta. The acidity remains lively, almost nervous, keeping the wine in suspense. The final: long, full-bodied, with an aftertaste of capers and salt. When you open a bottle of Helichrysum, you open more than just wine. It opens the vision of two people who arrived on a deserted hill over thirty years ago and decided to realise that the world is a wondrous place. SUPERIORE.DE

"Needs a little aeration, but then the flavours of stone fruit, spices and flowers are delightful, well cushioned by the wood; velvety texture, the tannins robust and well integrated, with structure and yet a light-footed final. Convinces with its finesse." Vinum

"Very perfumed, with sandalwood, dried lavender, strawberries, ripe cherries and cedar on the nose. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit that is nicely framed by broad, integrated tannins that fold in beautifully. Fresh and crisp in the finish. Lovely tension." James Suckling