Winemaker Notes
San Polino Brunello di Montalcino comes from a lush loamy field on the northern slopes of Montalcino. Full-bodied and structured, it has been described in glowing terms as being fruity, opulent, corpulent, luxurious and delicious.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A dark and brooding Brunello with lots of blackberry and blueberry character. Full body, a wealth of fruit and a flavorful finish. Kir-like. Made from biodynamically-grown grapes.
Range: 95-96 -
Wine Enthusiast
Baked plum, crushed violet, dark spice and wild berry aromas are front and center. It's full-bodied and youthfully austere, showing Marasca cherry, tobacco leaf and star anise set against taut tannins and bright acidity. Give it time to fully develop.
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Decanter
Certified in 1994, San Polino is one of the pioneering estates in Montalcino for organic viticulture. Owners Luigi Fabbro & Katia Nussbaum also employ biodynamic farming practices, with minimal use of SO2. It takes some coaxing, but red liquorice, violet and wild forest berries eventually surface. While more approachable than the Helichrysum, this will require some ageing for the compact tannins to unfold. The property totals a mere 4.5ha.
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.