Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Brunello expresses all the peculiarity of the challenging vintage. In the glass, the wine is deep ruby red in color. On the nose, it is very intense and broad, showing off the typical notes of the denomination: small red berries, black cherries, a hint of spices. In the palate, it is complex and deep, with an elegant and refreshing finish, thanks to the excellent acidity.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
In the far northwest of Montalcino, the expansive Castiglion del Bosco estate sprawls over several hills of varying altitude, exposure and terrain. From 42 hectares designated for Brunello comes this impressive 150,000-bottle production. Rather than exploding with fragrance, the 2018 unveils its evocative floral scents slowly. These reach a crescendo on the palate, melding seamlessly with cheerful pure pomegranate and cherry flavours. Supple tannins are velvety in texture. Unforced and fluid, this is hard to resist now.
-
James Suckling
Ripe berries and hints of red licorice and herbs on the nose, following through to a medium-bodied palate with fine, tightly packed tannins and a taut finish for now. Give it two years to unwind a bit. Try from 2025.
-
Wine Enthusiast
The nose puts cherries front and center, intertwined with roses with heavier tar and graphite, before umami flavors of mushroom, balsamic vinegar, seaweed and soy slowly emerge. On the chalky palate, dark chocolate pushes up against the showboating cherries before a kick of spice sets up a long, energetic finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Starts out rich, with a touch of glycerol in the texture, before civilized tannins take over on the finish. Offers plum, cherry, earth, tobacco and iron notes that prevail, with a firm grip of tannins on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2043.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Robust and powerful from the start, the Castiglion del Bosco 2018 Brunello di Montalcino shows broad shoulders and ample brawn. But at the end of the day, the wine's concentration remains on the medium to medium-rich side of the spectrum. It stays firmly within the boundaries of Sangiovese. Dark fruit and blackcurrant segue to savory notes of toasted spice, black olive, earth and rusty nail.
Situated in the province of Siena where the renown area of "Brunello di Montalcino" is found, Castiglion del Bosco encompasses approximately 4,450 acres of land, 125 of which are vineyards with plans to plant 15 more acres. The farm is located between the historic towns of Buonconvento and Montalcino. Given the truly magnificent geographical position of the estate, perched on a hill looking down onto the surrounding valleys, exposure is optimal resulting in wines of excellent quality. These are very exciting wines, new and classic at the same time.
Castiglion del Bosco was the first to produce and bottle Brunello di Montalcino in the sixties and today represents one of the most important properties of this region. Plans are currently underway to produce new wines and expand the existing cellar. This estate prides itself on the highest level of quality combined with respect for tradition. Claudio Basla, from Altesino, also consults at Castiglion del Bosco insuring the same levels of quality that we have always enjoyed from that estate.
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.