Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
A beguiling mix of tobacco, dusty earth, ash and sage gives way to dried strawberries as the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino La Casa slowly blossoms in the glass. Silky smooth with cooling acidity, it offers bright cherry-berry fruits complicated by rosy inner florals and hints of worn leather. A saline mineral tinge lingers as the 2004 finishes with spicy tension, no longer tannic yet still lively, with a twang of sour citrus mixing with licorice and a dusting of cocoa. Knowing how stern La Casa can be in its youth, this is a testament to its noble status among Montalcino crus.
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James Suckling
This is a pretty and mature Brunello with dried-cherry, cedar, sandalwood and fresh-leather character. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Dusty texture. Fascinating. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Caparzo 2004 Brunello di Montalcino La Casa feels the most concentrated in terms of mouthfeel. The wine reveals a special softness that is linked to oak aging, revealing spicy cinnamon and nutmeg along the way. The fruit is present and almost chewy in texture with baked cherry and blackberry. Given the wine's plush richness and sweetness, the acidity is balanced but it plays a less prominent role in this vintage.
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Wine Spectator
Rich and dense, with black cherry, blackberry, licorice and tar aromas and flavors. Dense and muscular, this red is still very fresh and long, with a tangy, savory finish.—Non-blind Altesino/Caparzo Retrospective (April 2022). Drink now.
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.