San Carlo Brunello di Montalcino 2016

Fulvio Marcucci in the 1960s was way ahead of the pack. He and his wife, Renata, purchased some 25 acres of woodland that formed a natural amphitheater on the southwest side of Montalcino, with an eye to planting vines and olive trees. Fast forward nearly 50 years and these vineyards are in their prime, and Fulvio’s granddaughter, Gemma, is crafting vibrant, energetic Brunello wines that are now starting to make waves in the wider wine world. Their three vineyards, ‘Vigna dei Meli,’ ‘Vigna del Picchio’ and ‘Vigna della Sorgente,’ were planted between 1968 and 2000. With just over seven acres of vines (surrounded by wild forest), the Marcucci family produces less than 6,000 bottles of their Brunello wine each vintage. This family farm is one of Montalcino’s smallest, located near Tavernelle in the appellation’s southwest, with just over seven acres of land planted (by family hands) to Sangiovese vines. The rest of the farm is dedicated to olive trees and wild forest. The estate’s first vineyard, Vigna dei Meli, was planted in 1974. Following this, the family expanded its holdings to Vigna del Picchio, planted in 1986, then Vigna della Sorgente, in 2000. Soils are a mix of sand, limestone and clay. All vineyards sit at around 1,050 feet in altitude; as the area sits in a rain shadow, the climate is favorable, with dry summers and autumns, ideal for Sangiovese’s ripening phase. Vines are cared for sustainably, using organic treatments whenever possible. Grapes are harvested by hand in small crates, and fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks, with controlled temperatures. Wines are aged either in tank or in traditional, older Slavonian oak “botti.”