Winemaker Notes
Brunello Fuligni Regular is refined for four years as per regulation, two and a half (sometimes three) of which are in wood. It has the characteristics of a long-living wine, but, unlike the Riserva, it is ready to drink. An elegant fusion of fruit and spices, Brunello Fuligni comes from a careful selection of prestigious grapes. We keep a low yield per hectare and if a vintage is not good enough we decide not to make any Brunello Fuligni because the quality of the grapes would not match the high standards of our winery.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Perfumed with sweet berry, fresh flower and cedar aromas that follow through to a medium-bodied palate with firm and chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Very classy and structured. Extremely long. Give it time to open.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The ruby/garnet 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino has a very appealing nose with notes of candied cherries, orange peel, anise, white pepper, and dried roses. Savory and snappy, this medium-bodied Brunello is not lacking for structure and has wonderful energy propelling the wine forward on the palate, angular ripe tannins, and a surge of mineral lift. It’s a gorgeous, classic Brunello that should have plenty of longevity. Drink 2026-2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With dark fruit balanced out by savory notes of tobacco leaf or cigar ash, the Fuligni 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is rich and beautifully concentrated. In little time, the bouquet reveals a floral interlude with dried rose petal and a tropical note of hibiscus. This wine shows a lot of angles, all very pleasant, that work together. The tannins are dusty and finely textured with a hint of powdery cocoa to close.
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Wine Spectator
Rich, refreshing and complex, featuring cherry, plum, earth, leather and mineral flavors. This red is vibrant, with hints of licorice and tamarind. Best of all, the ripe fruit, supple texture and resonant tannins extend to a white pepper–tinged finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
The nose is warm and textured, with aromas of dried cherry, blood orange peel, thyme and sage, but also has an edge from undertones of pencil lead and pepper. On the palate, raspberries bring out a sweeter cherry element, while more herbs, citrus and pepper provide balance, before a warm, unifying finish.
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.