Winemaker Notes
Aromas of black cherries, plums, and walnuts with undertones of cedar. The palate is dense and full-bodied, with rich tannins, and a complex finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino opens nicely in the glass, drawing upon more intensity and depth as it does. It shows firm lines and a fleshed-out mouthfeel that encourages plenty of layering and textural richness. That velvety quality is the enduring signature of this estate, one that has achieved consistent results over the years. The only outlier to this pretty portrait is a 15% alcohol content that, although well absorbed by the wine's texture, does risk becoming a distraction.
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Wine Spectator
Broad and dense, delivering plum, cherry, leather, tobacco and earth flavors underlined by assertive tannins, which show solid grip on the lingering finish. Reveals fruit buried within, so give this some time to integrate more fully. Best from 2026 through 2045. 2,388 cases made, 1,200 cases imported.
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James Suckling
This is creamy and open with tasty notes of sour cherries, plum stones, roasted nuts, mocha and sandalwood. Full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins providing a silky frame. Juicy finish.
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Decanter
Uccelliera is crafted from multiple plots at varying altitudes and exposures around the town of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. While a bit more restrained and less voluptuous than recent vintages, the 2018 nevertheless remains true to its generous, intense style and it will satisfy those seeking a hearty Brunello full of gusto. Wood-driven notes of vanilla and char dissolve into nutmeg, cinnamon and herbs. There's a touch of macerated fruit on the palate underscored by sweet earth and tobacco. Abundant tannins remain supple and enveloping, while a core of concentrated acidity keeps it all in check through to a very spicy 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.