Winemaker Notes
An intense ruby red color. On the nose the wine shows complexity, with aromas of ripe red fruit, species and aromatic herbs. On the palate the wine has excellent depth and sapidity. The wine is surprisingly fresh with notes of ginger and dried flowers. The tannins are exceptionally balanced which make the wine silky yet slightly vibrant as only Sangiovese can. The finish is lengthy suggesting great aging potential.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Cotarella brings us up to speed with the potential of this little estate owned by one of Italy's biggest wine families. The Cotarella clan acquired this boutique winery a few years back, and I'm pretty sure they have transitioned out of the overlap wine made by the previous owners by this point. What you get here is a pretty wine with managed ripeness and a pinpoint, technical approach to tannic management, texture and preserved freshness. It radiates with bright berry intensity. I can't wait to taste the next vintages they have in store for us.
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Wine Enthusiast
Underbrush, leather, mature black-skinned fruit and camphor aromas form the nose. Full-bodied and enveloping, the smooth, concentrated palate features fleshy Morello cherry, blood orange and licorice alongside taut, enveloping tannins. Drink through 2023–2028.
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Wine & Spirits
Notes of autumn leaves and forest floor lend an earthy appeal to this savory Brunello. Its dark cherry flavors are soft and rich, warmed by notes of cinnamon and anise. With its complex flavors and lingering spice notes, the wine is ready for bistecca.
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Decanter
Sitting at 450 metres, Le Macioche is located just southeast of the town of Montalcino. Half of the estate’s six hectares of vineyards are registered for Brunello production. The 2017 vintage represents the first under ownership of the Cotarella family. An appealing mix of cocoa and balsamic herbs greets the nose. Mid-weight and juicy, the palate takes on accents of underbrush and there is great fruit purity and firmness of structure. The finish is savoury with just a hint of those drying tannins that mark the vintage.
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Wine Spectator
Loamy clay, plum and cherry flavors are the highlights of this firm, slightly rigid red, with red fruit accents of cherry and strawberry seeping in as this winds down on the long finish. Elements of tobacco and spice add depth. Best from 2024 through 2040.
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.