Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesA rich ruby hue, the 2012 Brunello Di Montalcino Cerretalto is ripe and pure, with kirsch, polished leather, anise, and cedar. It is full-bodied without weight and has an elegant yet expansive mouthfeel, with ripe tannins and a velvety texture balanced with fresh acidity. It has fantastic length, with notes of wild raspberry, red plum, dried rose petal, and sweet herbs. It is in a beautiful place for drinking now and shows no signs of slowing down or moving into more tertiary notes. An exquisite wine, it warrants decanting as it opens. Best after 2023.
Casanova di Neri farm was founded in 1971 by Giovanni Neri following the purchase of an estate in the Montalcino area.Since the founder's passing in 1991, his son Giacomo has headed the company, managing the vineyards and the cellar himself, now assisted by his sons Giovanni and Gianlorenzo, an example of continuity in the family tradition. Since the beginning, Casanova di Neri’s philosophy has been based on zonation and pursuing the best terroirs to research and enjoy the best vineyards of the Montalcino area in order to produce unique and distinctive wines, with great character.Today the 75 hectares of vineyards are divided into six distinct areas that originate unique terroirs: Pietradonice south-east of Montalcino, Cetine to the south, Cerretalto to the east, and Fiesoe north-east, this vineyard is located near the winery and homonymous cottage in front of Montalcino, and the Podernuovo which boasts the highest position on the farm, at 480 meters above sea level.
The cellar is partially underground and allows the grapes and wine to be processed by gravity. The two storage spaces for thebarrels and the room for agingin bottles are entirely underground with naturally constant humidity and temperature. The property is set in amazingly beautiful countryside and respects the surrounding landscape.The excellent quality of the vineyards, the discipline and utmost care for the vines, blended with our passion and experience have resulted in the production of unique wines of great character, with their own well-defined style, never conditioned by fleeting tastes and fashions. Over the years, the combination of all these elements has brought a continuous string of accolades by the most important national and international opinion leaders.
Casanova di Neri now produces eight labels. Three are Brunello wines, each with its own characteristics: White Label Brunello, Brunello Tenuta Nuova and Cerretalto Brunello, along with Rosso di Montalcino, Irrosso, Pietradonice, Ibbiano and Irrosè
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.
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.