Winemaker Notes
The ruby red color of a young Brunello attenuates during its evolution leaving hints of light garnet which change as the wine ages. Tannins are present but soft with a long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is an immaculate beauty, tempting the imagination with vivid accents of violet and lavender before evolving into a menagerie of incense, cloves, dried roses and black cherries. It sweeps across the palate with grace, silken to the core, with a pretty inner sweetness quickly offset by waves of tart red berries and savory spice. Fine-grain tannins are expertly interwoven with a resonance of licorice and blood orange. A residual bump of vibrant acidity maintains an energetic feel, imparting this with a youthfully giving character while remaining structured and incredibly long. Collectors will have a hard time keeping their hands off long enough to watch the 2019 properly mature.
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Wine Enthusiast
It’s unusual to have the first word that comes to mind for a Brunello be “springtime”—it’s a full, rich wine after all. But Salvioni projects the delight of clean linens hanging in the sun as new flowers and herbs bloom even as it captures the classic warmth and bite of Sangiovese. It’s embracing and hopeful. Salvioni.
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Decanter
The abundant 2019 vintage resulted in Salvioni releasing both a Rosso and Brunello. The latter is a stunning follow up to the former: restrained yet captivating in its aromatic presentation, chestnut, fragrant wet forest and underbrush are accented by dried heather and juniper. The tannins are commanding and pervasive but roll over the palate gracefully, conferring a tactile, powdery texture. Still very understated, this hints at raspberries, currants and black tea, particularly on the long finish. As discreetly compelling as this is now, it will benefit from cellaring and possesses the power for a long stint there.
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.