Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very attractive aromas of red cherries, mushrooms and flowers follow through to a medium body with firm and integrated tannins and a vivid, subtle, fruity finish. A lovely young Brunello that you can enjoy now or age for many years to come. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Black cherry and black currant flavors are the main themes in this intense red, with iron and wild herbs adding complexity. Balanced and vibrant, with resonant tannins guarding the long aftertaste. This feels more modern in style, with an emphasis on bright fruit.
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Decanter
An assemblage of 20 to 30 plots, Castelgiocondo’s Brunello is blended after three years of ageing in a combination of used barriques and large casks. The 2021 opens slowly with incense- and pepper-infused plum and red berries. It is well padded but not overly dense, showing generous rather than opulent fruit. Flavours of cherry skins and blood orange are magnified by radiant acidity, and dark currants burst on the finish. Still tightly knit with polished, sandy-textured tannins, it should age gracefully.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a youthful ruby hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Castelgiocondo is attractive and packed with youthful citrus on opening, with orange oil, cranberry, dusty earth, dried roses, and bright spice. The palate is medium-bodied and energy-packed, with bright acidity, well-defined tannins, and a fantastic, refreshing finish. It’s a gorgeous, vibrant Brunello that should only get better with time and drink beautifully over the next 15 years or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Frescobaldi 2021 Brunello di Montalcino CastelGiocondo can be counted on for consistent quality and territory-specific character. Over recent years, this wine has moved away from a more concentrated style to instead embrace freshness and primary fruit. This vintage delivers black cherry and dark currant framed by grilled herb, orange skin and a hint of rose. It stays true to itself, which is all you can ask for from a more commercial release such as this (with 300,000 bottles created). Produced from estate vineyards on the southwestern side of Montalcino, CastelGiocondo is known for crafting Brunello that emphasizes balance and approachability.
Frescobaldi’s story is strictly connected with the history of Tuscany. At the high point of medieval Florence, the Frescobaldis spread their influence as bankers, becoming patrons of major works in Florence, such as Santa Trinita bridge and the Basilica of Santo Spirito.
Frescobaldi embodies the essence of Tuscany, its extraordinary vocation for viticulture and the diversity of its territories.
Frescobaldi’s uniqueness stems precisely from the representation of Toscana diversity, from its estates and from wines which express a kaleidoscope of aromas and sensations, springing from the characteristics of each individual terroir. The Estates are positioned in prime areas of Tuscany and each tells its own story, made up of nature, terroir and people.
From Tenuta Castiglioni, where the family’s 700 years of wine-growing history began, to CastelGiocondo on the Montalcino hills, to the timeless Castello Nipozzano. From the hidden gem of Castello Pomino, up to Tenuta Ammiraglia’s new horizons overlooking the sea, to Tenuta Perano a natural amphitheater in the heart of Chianti Classico, ending with Remole, that expresses all the character of Tuscany.
Behind every Frescobaldi wine lies the passion of agronomists and oenologists, who know their vineyards and terroirs down to the finest detail. Their art, creating quality wines, requires the iron rule of respect. Respect for tradition, which guide them, even in the midst of innovation or avant-garde solutions. Respect fort Tuscany, the living land, to be cultivated in harmony and serenity. Respect for each individual terroir, borne of a unique combination of soil, altitude and microclimate, each giving us a wine with its own matchless personality.
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.