Brunello Di Montalcino Wine

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Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. is one of the most prestigious wines in Italy. D.O.C.G. stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. These letters are on the pink collar strip on each bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. The D.O.C.G., as a category, was created in 1980 and, out of hundreds of Italian wines, there are just 45 D.O.C.G.s in all of Italy. It is an elite and exclusive category of wine with many rules and regulations, including panel tastings for quality and maximum yields. Brunello can only be made from 100% Sangiovese, known in Montalcino as Brunello, grown on authorised vineyards. There are minimum and maximum altitudes for vine cultivation and there has actually been a freeze on authorisations since 1995. The maximum yield per hectare is 7.000 kg of grapes (the conversion to wine is 68%). The wine must spend 2 years in wood and cannot be released until the fifth January after harvest – so 2004 is on sale in 2009, 2005 in 2010 and so on and so forth. One of the DOCG regulations expressly forbids climate intervention, so any kind of manipulation of nature is forbidden. So no irrigation or smudge-pots and great variation from vintage to vintage. The heatwave of 2003 or the wet 2002 is expressed in Brunellos from these vintages. These troughs and peaks make it hair-raising for producers who can see a year’s work disappear in 10 minutes of hail, but make Brunello a fascinating wine for consumers. In an ideal scenario the difference in vintage quality should determine potential cellar aging – a petit vendage as they French so generously call them – should be consumed soon after release whereas the great vintages should be cellared for 5+ years or much more. Currently there are over 200 producers of Brunello, all essentially following the same “recipe”. What differentiates producers is essentially a mix of two variables; terroir and wood. An estate’s attitude to wood aging is usually a key to their whole wine philosophy. Terroir Montalcino has quite different subzones and an incredible variety of soil types, altitude and so on. Where an estate is – or where an estates’ vineyards are (not always the same thing) – can result in distinct markers. For example the south-west facing low altitude estates have soil that contains marine fossils and was once sea. This can come out in a salty tang or, at worse, as a brackish “salmastro” taste in the wines. The north-west estates tend to have greener tastes due to a slower maturatation due to their position. And so on and so forth. Wood : size, provenance, time in Brunello must spend two years in wood but the original DOCG regulations were for 4 years. The towns’ production is now split between modern “international” Brunello which relies on barriques, 225 liter French oak barrels, and the “traditional” producers who prefer to use the large “botti.” These barrels are made from Slavonian oak and are so large that they can be cleaned by hand i.e. someone actually goes in to scrape them out, and can be re-used for many years. The wood:wine ratio is clearly very different so barrique aged Brunellos tend to spend the minimum 2 years in wood whereas the traditional Brunellos can spend three or even the original four years in wood. The tertiary aromas from the different sized barrels are quite different. Montalcino has every kind of producer and wine philosophy; tiny estates with less than 2 hectares under vine, those who consult the moon before bottling, truly biodynamic properties, VIP owned boutique wineries, ancient Tuscan noble families, locally owned farms and huge conglomerates. Montalcino itself is a terrifically cosmopolitan community. An article recently highlighted that there are 44 nationalities in a town of 4.000 residents… – Description from Laurapal (hide)

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Varietals Produced in Brunello Di Montalcino View all

Sangiovese

Prounounced “San-joh-vay-say,” this Italian wine varietal is Tuscany’s #1 red wine grape. It’s the pistol of Central ...
Barbera

History of the grape: Barbera is a native to the Piedmont, where it has been growing for centuries, and is now the fo...
Nebbiolo

History of the grape: Two schools of thought exist as to the origins of Nebbiolo (which means “little fog” either for...
Cabernet Sauvignon

“King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...
Syrah

The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...

Popular Wineries in Brunello Di Montalcino View all

Mastrojanni

Established in 1975, today the MASTROIANNI FARM has 90 hectares of terrain, just over 24 of which...
Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Donatella Cinelli Colombini is a Medieval scholar-turned wine producer in Montalcino, Italy. Sh...
Col D Orcia

The Col D’Orcia estate is one of the oldest companies of Montalcino, being present in 1933 with t...
Poggio Antico

First of all the opinion of Arianna and Sabrina on the quality of Poggio Antico's wines. Arianna ...
La Magia

The winery "La Magia" lies just north of the roman abbey of St. Antimo. It is not only situated i...
Canalicchio di Sopra

In 1962 Primo Pacenti, a lover of the land with a knowledge of its products, founded Azienda Agri...

People getting updates on Brunello Di Montalcino Wines

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Brunello Di Montalcino on Snooth

Dec 23, 2009

23 December 2009 The Consorzio have just sent out a press release for the new traceability procedure via SMS. Send a text message to 0039 366 3008880 with the three capital letters from the pink DOCG strip, the 8 numbers from the strip and the bottle capacity. e.g. AAI 00930123 0.75 In a matter of moments an SMS comes flying back with t...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Dec 21, 2009

GIRO D’ITALIA 2010 is finishing up in Montalcino! Come and watch bicycles on 15 May. The 93rd edition of the Giro D’Italia will start in Amsterdam on 8 May 2010 and finish at the Verona arena on 30 May. There are 21 stages for a total of 3.415,50 km. For the second time in the race’s history the Giro will be going through Montalcino – on the...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 27, 2009

Benvenuto Brunello 2010 - 19/22 February BB will be from 19-22 February @ the Fortress in Montalcino. This is an unique opportunity to see most of Montalcino two hundred plus producers standing cheek to jowl in their Sunday best in a tent. It also provides a wonderful occasion to sample 2005 Brunello and 2004 Riservas and form an opinion abou...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 21, 2009

WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 WINES 2009 Congratulations to the three Brunello 2004s in the top 20 of WS's top 100 world wines: 11° Poggio il Castellare 15° Castelgiocondo Marchesi Frescobaldi 16° Uccelliera

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 18, 2009

Gambero Rosso Vini D'Italia 2010 - TRE BICCHIERI. Here are the 16 wineries that got the prestigious 3 bicchieri award for their Brunello 2004: Biondi Santi - Tenuta Il Greppo, Canalicchio - Franco Pacenti Canalicchio di Sopra La Cerbaiola Cerbaiona Podere La Fortuna Tenuta La Fuga Greppone Mazzi - Tenimenti Ruffino Poggio di Sotto T...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 17, 2009

BENVENUTO BRUNELLO 2010 US DATES! Chicago has been chosen as the second U.S. city for the 2010 edition of Benvenuto Brunello. The Chicago tasting is scheduled for February 1 and will be part of a larger program devoted to the wines of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti Classico, and Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene. The New York tasti...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
January 2019

Tuscan wines - of which Chianti Classico (and Brunello di Montalcino) form the backbone, inter alia - have changed much from the time I was a lad. Too much to discuss just now, but glad you got an introduction to one of the truly great wine regions and, indeed, regions of great visual beauty... and, of course, history - which goes back 3,000 ye... Read More

Forum post in the topic Hello Snooth!
September 2018

Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 2004

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by martins2002
August 2018

Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by martins2002
February 2018

Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino 2012

Snoothrank:

Gorgeous cherry and red currant aromas are lightly floral with sweet spice and even a bit of mineral gun flint hiding under the bright fruit. Juicy and expressive on the palate with red fruit notes of red currant, raspberry and cherry, nicely balanced against moist earthy spice and well integrated tannins. On the fruitier side but mellow, pleasa... Read More

Wine review by Snooth Editorial
February 2018

La Fornace Brunello Montalcino 2012

Snoothrank:

Ripe floral cherry blossom and cranberry fruit, a touch of strawberry and mushroomed earth. This is pure, tart, refreshing with bold spice yet it carries appropriately delicate fruit notes of cherry, strawberry and red currant. Its also savory throughout, with mineral earthiness and a chewy tannic structure gripping the mid palate and holding th... Read More

Wine review by Snooth Editorial
January 2018

Vinea Familia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Snoothrank:

Very pretty garnet color. Light flavors of cherry or strawberry on the tip of the tongue. Medium bodied. Surprising minty sensation on the rear palate. Read More

Wine review by EMark
January 2018

Vinea Familiae Brunello di Montalcino, 2012 I'm pretty sure this is another Costco wine.Serviceable, though, not particularly memorable wine. Light flavors of cherry or strawberry on the tip of the tongue. Medium bodied. Surprising minty sensation on the rear palate. The research continues. Read More

Forum post in the topic Whatcha drinking tonight?
December 2017

Tunuta Buon Tempo Brunello di Montalcino 2011

Snoothrank:

Nice wine. Everything in moderation--fruit, oak, tannin, acid. Nothing dominates and nothing competes--so, I would say it's in balance. On the other hand it just doesn't seem like an ethereal wine experience. Read More

Wine review by EMark
November 2017

This arrived, today, from Last Bottle's August MarathonTenuta Buon Tempo Brunello di MontalcinoSleeper Sauvignon BlancMar de Vinas AlbarinoHalcon PradoEnkidu OV ZinfandelStark Kick Ranch SyrahWhetsone Jon Boat PNHiller Wine & Queen Gruner VeltlinerStark Barbera Damiano VineyardChehalem Three Vineyard RieslingMost of the whites will be going to t... Read More

Forum post in the topic What have you bought lately?
March 2017

Ridolfi Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Snoothrank:

Brick color in the glass. Interestingly a winemaker (of Italian heritage) once told me that Sangiovese should be a brick or umber color, not bright red. It did have a lively red fruit nose and on the tip of the tongue more of the same. After that I lost interest in this wine--fruit fades, no acid, no body, no complexity, no soul. There's not... Read More

Wine review by EMark
Jul 27, 2011

Visited Tuscany the other week (stayed the lovely little village of Campagnatico) and tried the wines from Bolgheri, Montecucco, Morellino de Scansano, Montepulciano and of course Montalcino. Favourites where the Moris farms IGT wine Avvoltore, the Montecucco Riserva from Villa Patrizia and Pieve Vecchia Chorum . In Montalcino the Enotecas an...

Comment by 189779PBK 189779
Oct 12, 2010

Visiting for the first time in January. Suggestions of where to visit? Staying in Florence for two weeks!

Comment by 609606shannonpeter 609606
Aug 7, 2010

Can someone tell me how much a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino 1964 is worth? (Castiglione del Bosco) and Brunello di Montalcino 1979 (Val di suga) Thank you, Kristina

Comment by 549780Kristina427 549780
May 24, 2010

The Bonacchi 2003 Brunello di Montalcino at Trader Joes for 19.99 is worth the price. We brought back several bottles of more expensive Brunello from the region and while this wine does not compare with those, it is a lovely addition to a steak dinner or antipasto platter. For the price you can afford to share with friends and not break the ba...

Comment by 486231YM 486231

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