Brunello di Montalcino “Vignavecchia” DOCG 2021 (BIO)

San Polo | Tuscany
Marilisa Allegrini S.r.l. | Via della Torre 23/25 | IT 37022 Fumane

29152721 · 0,75 l · 393,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available
Limitation of 2 articles per customer

Frost fell over Montalcino on 7 April 2021. And again on 15 April. In some vineyards, it destroyed a third of the harvest. In Vignavecchia, on its steep western slope at an altitude of 420 metres, it hit the vines differently: not as destruction, but as selection. What survived were the strongest shoots, the best protected grapes – a natural yield limitation, more radical than any human intervention. Nature cut what the winegrower would never have dared. What followed was a summer of extremes and an autumn of perfection. The months up to August were hot and dry, followed by sporadic rainfall that gave the vines a rest. September brought what Sangiovese needs: warm days, cool nights, those temperature amplitudes that preserve flavour and acidity while phenolic ripeness progresses. The harvest began almost two weeks earlier than was usual just a few years ago – a sign of climate change, but this year also a sign of good fortune: the grapes reached perfection before the autumn rains set in.

Vignavecchia is the oldest vineyard in San Polo – planted in 1988, when Carlotta Allegrini was not yet born. The soils date back to the Cretaceous-Eocene, the first layers to rise from the sea, poor and stony, interspersed with marl. Vines that have been rooted here for over thirty-five years have learnt to cope with barrenness. Their berries are small, thick-skinned, with an intensity that younger plantations cannot match. The western exposure – unusual for Montalcino, where south-facing sites dominate – gives the grapes afternoon sun and cool mornings: a combination that favours elegance where other sites focus on power. The vinification respects this finesse. Fermentation and ageing take place exclusively in Liters French oak barrels – for thirty months, followed by at least six months of bottle ageing. The smaller format gives the wine more oxygen contact than the large barrels in which Podernovi matures and gives it a silky texture that combines with the natural structure of the terroir.

In the glass, the 2021 shows a ruby red colour of brilliant clarity – more transparent than the 2020, with the permeability that characterises classic Brunello vintages. The nose unfolds in layers: first violets and rose petals, then redcurrant and sour cherry, and finally notes of lavender, tobacco and damp forest floor. On the palate, fine-grained tannins combine with lively acidity to create an architecture reminiscent of the great vintages that made Montalcino famous. The finish is long and minerally, with a lingering aftertaste of chalk and red fruit that lingers for minutes. James Suckling characterised the 2021 vintage with "old-fashioned charm" – wines that prioritise balance over power, transparency over opulence, elegance over extraction. Vignavecchia epitomises this ideal in its purest form. Not a wine for quick enjoyment, but one that deserves time – and will reward you richly. SUPERIORE.DE

"Formidable perfume of cherries, macchia and truffles; excellent structure with tightly meshed, perfectly integrated tannins and invigorating acidity, great length on notes of berry confit, sandalwood, spices." Vinum

"The organic 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Vignavecchia, the estate’s top-shelf expression and limited to just 2,000 bottles, delivers the greatest concentration and power of these releases. Old-vine complexity drives the aromatic profile with layered dark fruit, crushed rose, autumnal tones and cured tobacco leaf, reflecting the character of the western-facing Vigneto Vignavecchia and its low-fertility, schist-rich galestro soils strewn with stones. Fermented in tonneaux and aged for 30 months in a combination of lightly toasted tonneaux and larger vessels, the wine shows both structure and freshness on the palate. This is a Brunello built for patience and will reward extended cellaring." Wine Advocate

"Wonderful aromas of berries, sandalwood and cedar follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a long, silky finish. Lovely intensity and energy. Really classy. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2027, but already impressive." James Suckling