Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesRating: 93+
The estate vineyard at Piancornello was bought by the Pieri Family in 1950. The fruit was sold to other Montalcino producers until they began making their own wine starting with the 1990 vintage. Silvana Pieri has since passed down the estate to her son Claudio (who has been and continues to be the winemaker) and his wife, Silvia.
Piancornello takes its name from the hamlet just South of Montalcino where the winery is located. Because of the warm climate and unique, rocky/mineral-rich soils, this is considered one of the finest areas of Brunello. The vineyards are located on moderately sloped hills with southern exposures. The clones at Piancornello were chosen carefully in order to have low yields and looser bunches. Additionally, a modern, temperature & humidity-controlled winemaking facility has been built in front of the old cellar, allowing for an even greater attention to detail and quality in winemaking.
Though the estate has been farming organically for many years, it has recently made plans to become certified. Beginning with the 2013 vintage, the estate in Montecucco (Podere del Visciolo) will be Certified Organic, while the main estate plans to finalize its organic certification with the 2015 vintage.
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.
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.