Montalcino
Perched high above the Tuscan countryside, surrounded by oak forests, olive groves, and sunlit slopes, Montalcino feels like the distilled essence of Tuscany. This hilltop town and its surrounding vineyards are home to Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most noble and age-worthy wines. Made exclusively from a local clone of Sangiovese known as Sangiovese Grosso or Brunello, it thrives here thanks to a perfect combination of altitude, sunlight, and the region’s warm, dry climate tempered by coastal breezes.
Brunello is a wine of both strength and refinement, deep garnet in hue, with aromas of wild cherry, leather, herbs, and earth. On the palate, it marries Tuscan warmth with sculpted structure: vibrant acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a finish that lingers like a memory. By law, it must age a minimum of four years before release, two of which are in oak, ensuring that time and patience remain integral to its character. The younger Rosso di Montalcino offers a fresher, more immediate expression of the same spirit, joyful, juicy, and unmistakably local.
What defines Montalcino is its sense of place - a harmony of sun, soil, and soul. Its wines capture Tuscany at its most articulate: generous yet composed, rustic yet regal. To open a Brunello is to open a window onto the Tuscan landscape itself, all golden light, terracotta earth, and quiet grandeur.