Brunello

While winemaking at Castiglion del Bosco has been a craft for centuries, until fairly recently the vineyards were cultivated solely for personal consumption by each family living on the Estate. Today, Castiglion del Bosco wines are consistently recognized for their excellence. As one of the founding members of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, the organization that regulates and controls the quality of Brunello production, Castiglion del Bosco introduced the world to its exemplary vintages through the emergence of a commercial operation in the late 1950s. In 2004, acclaimed international Wine Master Nicolo D’Afflitto took command of winemaking at Castiglion del Bosco, along with locally trained enologist Cecilia Leoneschi. Under their careful direction, the Estate is yielding more modern Brunellos that are attracting critical acclaim. The fundamental goal of winemaking at Castiglion del Bosco is to remain faithful to the land and the characteristics of the grapes.

Argiano’s Brunello di Montalcino is distinguished by its elegance and its deep ruby red colour. It presents a good concentration on the mid-palate and a persistent aftertaste, with a rounded and voluptuous body, and interesting, silky tannins. It unites potency and elegance and looks like having a promising future. With its tempting perfumes of red berries and its clean freshness, the complexity of this wine presents an excellent balance. To fully appreciate its qualities, decant the wine at least one hour before serving.

The bouquet of this Brunello di Montalcino is intense, fruit-forward, spicy and floral with hints of red berry fruits enriched by delicate spicy notes. Warm, soft and very well balanced on the palate; structured with soft tannins and long aftertaste.

Wine Spectator-Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy- "Shows blackberry and black cherry aromas. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and lots of dense fruit. Builds on the palate. Juicy and rich. Has more concentration than the average Brunello." Sourced from the oldest vines of the estate.

Caparzo's Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Vigna la Casa can be considered a true enological gem, and not just in terms of Montalcino. La Casa derives its name from having been the farm where some of the tenant farmers who worked for the owners of Palazzo Montosoli, which is at a distance of a few hundred feet, lived. The first vintage of Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa was produced in 1977. At the time little was known of terroir, and little attention was paid to the concept of zonation, which had only recently been introduced to Montalcino. In this case, Caparzo was once again a pacesetter, producing a “Single Vineyard” Brunello from one of the finest vineyards in the appellation. With Brunello di Montalcino La Casa, Caparzo also was one of the first wineries to introduce barriques to Montalcino, producing a wine with a polite, elegant spirit. Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa is the fruit of a unique terroir and expresses all of Caparzo's passion and experience in producing excellent wines.

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100% Sangiovese from the Fontelontano Vineyard ( 0,5 Hectar) Removal of grape stalks and soft pressing, fermentation in stainless steel casks at the controlled temperature of 28-30° C, maceration on the skins for 20-25 days with extraction technique made with delestage and with pumping over during the first week of maceration. Then a delestage a week spaced out with pumping over decreasing along the process. Method of aging: it ages 36 months in French oak barrels of 5 Hl. Then other 18 months in the bottle for refining. Aging potential: 10-25 years according to vintage. Colour: intense ruby red with brilliant burgundy reflects. Bouquet: reminiscent of wild black fruits, vanilla and spices. Taste: dry, warm, austere but velvety The elegance of this wine, thanks also to its body and structure, makes it a wine for meditation. It matches all our best dishes of the Tuscan tradition: great with complex first courses (lasagne, pinci pasta with sauces made with game), second courses made with game, braised meat and ripe and spicy cheeses.

Full deep red. Captivating aromas of redcurrant, dried flowers and roasted chestnut. Silky and pliant in the mouth, with excellent depth of flavor and plenty of underlying structure

TASTING NOTES Brunello is Montalcino’s signature wine, made entirely from Sangiovese grapes (Brunello is the local, but unofficial, name for Sangiovese). Palazzo is a traditionally-made Brunello (large oak only) from the South-Eastern part of the production area. It has an intense ruby red color, which tends towards garnet with age. Scented, high-toned aromas of red berries, sweet spices and flowers, with a note of candied red cherry emerging with air. Fine-grained and floral, offering excellent energy and lift in the mouth, and attractive inner-mouth perfume to its red berry flavors. Finishes clean and persistent, with smooth tannins. Ideal with roasted or grilled meats, hearty pasta dishes and seasoned cheese. WINERY Palazzo REGION Toscana VARIETAL 100% Sangiovese Grosso LOCATION OF VINEYARDS Montalcino ORIENTATION South-East ALTITUDE 1050 ft TYPE OF PLANTING Spurred cordon SOIL Dry and stony TYPE OF CULTIVATION Sustainable VINIFICATION Harvest takes place towards the end of September and begining of October, the grapes are picked by hand. Vinification in steel vats of 35/45hl; maceration lasts approx. 18/20 days at a controlled temperature of 30°C (86F). AGING Aged for 36-40 months in large Slavonian oak casks. 6-8 months in bottle. ALCOHOL CONTENT 14.5% TOTAL PRODUCTION 14,000 bottles OENOLOGIST Fabrizio Ciufoli Palazzo Perhaps it was a coincidence or maybe it was a twist of faith that, in 1983, Cosimo Loia purchased the Palazzo estate, which carried the same family name as his wife Antonietta. After spending several years in Scotland, Cosimo and Antonietta fell in love with the Montalcino area and decided to pursue their dream and appreciation for country living and settled in Montalcino with their children. A picturesque farm, located on the southeastern slope of Montalcino, covers 12 hectares (30 acres) at an altitude of 320 meters (1050 ft) above sea level. The soils of Eocene origin and stony and arid and particularly suitable for growing Sangiovese. Palazzo’s vineyards cover approx 4 hectares and are located next to top producers like Cerbaiona and Salvioni. 3 more hectares are dedicated to olive trees. The vineyards enjoy perfect sun exposure and are well protected from the sea breezes. A strict selection during the growing season allows the grapes to ripen well before being individually handpicked. Palazzo is considered a boutique winery producing approx. 25,000 bottles annually. Keeping things small allows Palazzo to continue under the strict management of the family and ensure that the wines retains the highest quality. Over the past years, the winery has experienced some major structural changes: the 17th Century farm house was completely renovated to suit modern farming needs and the arrival of consulting enologist Fabrizio Ciufoli who has raised the level of quality. Production has also benefited from using mostly traditional large Slavonian oak casks. This formula has infused new life to the estate, which is now managed by Cosimo’s children Elia and Angelo.

Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in USD Average: $77 From: $51 To: $88

Tenute Silvio Nardi’s classic Brunello is a blend of the finest grapes from the Manachiara and Casale del Bosco estates. Silvio Nardi follows the strict DOCG laws required of a classified Brunello di Montalcino. Yield is limited and only the top 70% of the hand harvested grapes is used to make the wine. The fruit is carefully handpicked and sorted. The wine is aged in two types of oak and in the bottle before release. This full-bodied wine offers intense aromas and flavors of red berries offset by notes of leather and incense, supported by firm, elegant tannins.

This single-vineyard cru is La Gerla's flagship wine. Made in select years, this comes entirely from a one-hectare parcel of old vines (25-30 years old) from the original Biondi-Santi site, located between 270 and 320 meters above sea level. This hillside vineyard occupies a privileged position at the estate and consistently offers beautiful and healthy fruit. The wine is aged for 4 years in 50 -100hl Slavonian oak casks and an additional year in bottle before being released.

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Several important critics have rated this Rosso di Montalcino wine highly: Wine Spectator gave the 2007 vintage a score of 90. This is the second most sought-after wine from the region (in terms of user searches). There has been a lowering of demand in the past year. This is among the highest-priced Rosso di Montalcino wine. The price has been stable over the past year. All Valdicava grapes are organically grown and no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used in the vineyards The Valdicava Rosso is made from the estate’s youngest vines, all of which are Brunello-designated. In 2010 Abbruzzese gave his Rosso an additional 4-5 months in cask above the usual 8-10 months. He describes the wine as “too important for a Rosso” and I tend to agree as this is by no means an approachable, easy going wine. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025. Vincenzo Abbruzzese is one of the most outspoken, passionate growers in Montalcino. His beautifully tended vineyards yield some of the richest wines in the region; and that’s where most of the focus is – on the vineyards. The winery itself is unremarkable and is equipped with just the bare essentials. All of the wines are aged in large, neutral oak; what comes through is Abbruzzese’s commitment to low yields, sustainable farming and non-interventionalist winemaking consistently demonstrate richness and excellent structure.

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Intense ruby red in colour with garnet hues.On the nose it shows typical aromas of violets and red berries, with hints of forest fruit, sandalwood, vanilla and coffee. It is intense, persistent and ethereal. Full-bodied on the palate, with a dense texture and round tannins.

100% Sangiovese. Complex and fresh aromas, with inviting fruit balanced by oak-imparted spices. Well-structured and full-bodied on the palate, with a long finish. As one of the original estates of Montalcino and now the largest certified organic estate in Tuscany, Col d’Orcia is a leader in Brunello di Montalcino, helping to define and promote one of Italy’s most prestigious wine regions. Tradition, integrity and sustainability are the pillars of the estate, whose classic style wines are celebrated all over the world. Proudly defined as an ‘organic island,’ Col d’Orcia is committed to maintaining the natural environment in which it operates and has, for many years, employed organic farming practices. The entire estate includes vineyards, gardens, olive groves, tobacco and wheat fields, which are all farmed following exclusively organic agricultural practices. In 2010, the estate underwent the organic farming certification process and is now the largest certified organic wine producing farm in all of Tuscany. 91pts Wine Advocate 1/19 2014V 91pts Wine Spectator 6/19 2014V

Earthy aromas suggesting underbrush, new leather and woodland berry lead the nose. The juicy balanced palate offers Morello cherry, clove and cinnamon alongside firm tannins. Drink 2022–2030.

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