Winemaker Notes
Ripe at the Convent 2018 is brilliant ruby red in color, without no imperfections, even on the rim. On the nose, it is rich and varied, with notes ranging from very ripe yet fresh and crisp fruitiness to floral and then exploding with a dazzling kaleidoscope of tertiary aromas. Fruity sensations include the ever-present berries together with cherry and pomegranate. Among the tertiary aromas we can instantly find pleasant reminiscences of graphite, bitter cocoaand Cuban cigar. Ethereal, spicy, and fresh, its bouquet is acrescendo of sensorial discoveries, but its full power explodes on the palate, well balanced by a dense tannic texture without any particular harshness. The intense aromatic persistence is very long.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
From CastelGiocondo’s highest altitude vineyard, at 450 metres, this encapsulates the warmth and luminosity of Montalcino’s southwest quadrant despite the cooler, wetter conditions of the vintage. It debuts with aromas of cedar, vanilla and cherry. Youthful yet yielding, the palate brings in tarragon, melted chocolate and tobacco, while the oak is integrated and balanced. Sandy tannins melt seductively, and a salty tang brings refreshment. Vivacious and munificent, this is difficult not to like. It's almost ready now but offers at least a decade of drinking pleasure.
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Wine Spectator
Laced with bright cherry and raspberry fruit, this red is juicy and harmonious. Mineral, almond and wild herb notes make their presence felt as this plays out on the resonant finish, showing excellent length. Best from 2026 through 2042.
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James Suckling
A juicy and open Brunello with ripe fruit and soft tannins. Medium-bodied and slightly fluid on the center palate. Firm at the end.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Frescobaldi 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento di CastelGiocondo is more evolved with even more oak intensity next to the village bottling. This Riserva feels older than it really is, and this impression is underlined by the evident 15% alcohol content. The bouquet opens to dried rose, autumnal leaf and trail mix fruit or raisin. The tannins are chalky and grippy.
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.