Winemaker Notes
Ruby red closer to pomegranate, after some years acquires a tint of amber. The aromas are complex intensive and elegant bouquet with scent of undergrowth and predominance of violet and musk. The taste is strong, hot, dry but not much, pleasantly tanninic, lively, harmonious and lingering.
A perfect complement to red game meat, roasted or barbecued, and to the well-seasoned first course in accordance with italian tradition. It's a perfect complement to cheeses with a strong taste (pecorino, parmigiano reggiano, cheeses of alpine meadows etc).
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of cedar and sandalwood. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine tannins and a bright, fresh finish. A little tight and reserved, but pretty and precise.
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Wine Enthusiast
Wild berry, crushed herb, new leather and truffle aromas emerge from the glass. The juicy, savory palate offers red cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and a hint of grilled porcini framed in taut, polished tannins. Tangy acidity keeps it bright. It’s already almost accessible but will age well for several years or more. Drink 2023–2028. Editors’ Choice
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.