Winemaker Notes
The soul of Argiano, Brunello exudes elegance, finesse, and unmistakable identity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This is dense and full of cherry, raspberry, earth, iron and tobacco flavors. A broad base of sinewy tannins lends support, while the lively acidity drives the long aftertaste of red fruit. All of the components are there; this just needs time.
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James Suckling
Aromas of cherries, orange blossom and white cedar with a hint of juniper follow through to a medium body, firm and silky tannins and a bright, polished finish. Linear and tight. Lovely length. Succulent and satisfying with a crisp finish. From organically grown grapes. Best after 2027.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With more than 500 years of documented winemaking history (with a villa and cellars dating back to 1580), Argiano is one of the oldest and most important estates in Montalcino. The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino shows consistency and a velvety texture with blackberry and blackcurrant. There is good freshness here, and the wine is a rather lean in terms of mouthfeel.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.