1997 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli |
| Vintage | 1997 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Altesino (web) | ||
| Variety | Sangiovese | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | Montosoli | ||
| Country | Italy | ||
| Region | Tuscany | ||
| SubRegion | Montalcino | ||
| Appellation | Brunello di Montalcino | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 8016763150137, 8016763151035 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2009 and 2022 (based on 40 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 93 pts. in 170 notes) | |
| Tasted by Mike1369 on 2/25/2024 & rated 95 points: Similiar notes to last bottle. Drank at RED on sobe with doug,Ryan,Leslie and ronit. Awesome night also had a dominus 2019 napanook. Good food,drinks, wines, and friends. (352 views) | |
| Tasted by Vinnut on 2/25/2024 & rated 92 points: Medium garnet in color with some minor bricking & clearing at the edges. Full, forward & attractive nose of mature, ripe fruits aromas of cherries, blueberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes, leather, tobacco, mushrooms, tar, cocoa, minerals, balsamic & a hint of cedar in the background. Medium-full bodied with very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, mature, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blueberries & plums with mushrooms, minerals & herbs. Lingering smooth finish. Drinks quite well at present & at 27 years of age, it is at or near its peak of development. Although it may hold here for a bit longer, it may not develop any further with additional aging. A lovely, aged Brunello! (275 views) | |
| Tasted by sdwineguru on 12/8/2023 & rated 91 points: 1997 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino; light-mid ruby, amber edges, viscous (14.0 alc.); red fruit, wood, old leaves, moss nose; low acids; fading tannins; balanced but past its prime; semi-long red fruit finish. 16.5/91 (667 views) | |
| Tasted by tcarter on 12/3/2023 & rated 94 points: Needed a little time to open up, then was terrific (524 views) | |
| Tasted by ogres3 on 9/3/2023 & rated 92 points: I enjoyed, the missus not so much. Semi-concerned on opening with the very plum hues. Decent nose. Funk blows off quickly and exposes pleasant muted fruit with a lingering finish. May be on the way down but still quite pleasant. (1104 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 3/18/2023 & rated 92 points: Very fine again. Notes of blackberry, blueberry, leather and tobacco. Great balance, with good layering with a medium finish. Wonderful bottle of older Brunello. Great QPR! (1135 views) | |
| Tasted by Vascular46 on 2/13/2023 & rated 92 points: The wine has started to lose it's deep red color and some of it's fruit. There are still traces of red and black fruit on the nose and palate as well as a hint of tobacco. Clearly at the end of it's drinking interval. (1061 views) | |
| Tasted by Beachfan on 12/3/2022 & rated 92 points: Pnp, classic , perhaps not quite as much length as hoped. (1197 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 8/26/2022: Drank at reunion of old college friends in Aspen. Very fine again. (1409 views) | |
| Tasted by lsojim218 on 7/23/2022: RP 93 The stunning, single vineyard 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli, exhibits more new oak than its sibling, as well as more power, concentration, alcohol, and extract. A deep garnet color accompanies huge, sweet aromas of roasted herbs, red and black currants, cherries, earth, incense, tobacco, and soy. This is a wine to lay away for 5-6 years. This chewy, full-bodied, spectacular Brunello will be at its finest between 2010-2022. (1280 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 6/25/2022 & rated 92 points: Delicious again. Vibrant, and fruit forward, with notes of blackberry, blueberry and pepper. Good structure, with a medium finish. (1134 views) | |
| Tasted by Mike1369 on 5/30/2022 & rated 97 points: Wow super bdm. Tart berries up front combine with stewed dark fruits that then give way to a wonderful finish with notes of leather, cedar, hints of cocoa, and forest floor. Wonderful nose. These should continue to get better, I think easy 10-15 more years in the window. Glad I have 2 more bottles left. Sad that I only have two more left. (7336 views) | |
| Tasted by Vino Me on 4/11/2022 & rated 97 points: Opened by Otis. The 2nd time I have had this wine and it showed much better than in 2011. My favorite Brunello of the night. Floral nose centered around violets. Silky texture. Beautiful red fruit notes with integrated tannins. Wonderful and a wine that you could likely hold a little longer if desired. 97 points. (1281 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 2/20/2022 & rated 92 points: Gorgeous again - very similar to the last bottle. (1026 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 10/24/2021 flawed bottle: Corked, tragically. (1209 views) | |
| Tasted by Warren23 on 10/24/2021 & rated 92 points: Amazing depth compared to most Brunellos I have had. Notes of pepper, raspberry, blackberry with great concentration. Long finish, with superb mouth feel. Very unusual, in my experience, for a Brunello. (1399 views) | |
| Tasted by jkoenen on 8/29/2021 & rated 92 points: Fruit is fading, giving way to lovely notes of tobacco, leather, dried herbs and porcini. Slightly drying finish prevents this wine from gaining an excellent score. (1498 views) | |
| Tasted by vinhonotte on 8/14/2021 & rated 90 points: Medium garnet, and fading edges. Toasty, cloves, caramel, and cherry, as well as fairly heightened tannins though rather soft. Fair length, tannin driven finish (1186 views) | |
| Tasted by Baylorwine on 5/3/2021 & rated 95 points: Drank absolutely perfect. So much depth, but not sure if it has the legs for much more time. Delicate. (1772 views) | |
| Tasted by patatty on 3/27/2021: Don’t recall (564 views) | |
| Tasted by DesMarteau on 12/25/2020 & rated 95 points: was a little scared thinking I held this too long. rusty edged purple...30 mins of air the fruit comes back strong....cherry, dusty tannins, spice, tar...long finish. Like most brunello...scorched earthiness and not overly complex....really good. (1981 views) | |
| Tasted by markrbower on 12/13/2020 & rated 94 points: Brick red color. Strawberry and caramel on the nose. The tannins were silky smooth with a lot of strawberry, caramel and butter scotch. The finish was decently long with caramel and even some floral notes coming out. I don’t have enough experience with old Brunellos to know whether this would’ve been better a few years ago, but it was delicious, now. (1488 views) | |
| Tasted by patatty on 11/25/2020 & rated 94 points: Decanted for four hours. Rusty light red color that clung to glass. Tea leave flavors at first, then creamy vanilla flavors that transitioned to cherry fruit flavors. Long finish. Aged well. (1585 views) | |
| Tasted by SteelerFan on 9/14/2020 & rated 89 points: Distinctive aged Sangiovese. Berry, cassis, tar. Some browning. Still very enjoyable but close to the cliff. Drink up. (2070 views) | |
| Tasted by cnordstr on 8/21/2020: Unfortunately not a great drink now. Too old. (1568 views) | |
| Tasted by norsktorsk on 6/22/2020 & rated 92 points: The nose was great on opening and a nice big balanced mouthful. After about 30 min it began to wane. (1754 views) | |
| Tasted by Cipivts on 3/14/2020 & rated 93 points: Medium ruby, leather, ink, graphite, farmyard. Screams bordeaux but it is not, beautiful acidity and texture on the palate. Still has power, great! (2317 views) | |
| Tasted by Justinneal654 on 2/14/2020 & rated 94 points: Poured with a bit of brown hints of color, touch of Funk and bitterness that blew off over the course of the first hour. Nicely developed, went through a period Of fruitiness after 90 minutes or so. Eventually it settled into an herbal and layered earthy profile with tobacco and balsamic. Paired beautifully with the steak. (1894 views) | |
| Tasted by europat55 on 6/27/2019 & rated 92 points: Nose: B++/A- Palate: B++/A- My #1, Group's #1 (49 pts). Tasted blind in a flight of Altesino Brunellos from 1988-2001 (2915 views) | |
| Tasted by ShellyReams on 6/9/2019: Nice strong tannins - very dark purple, almost black, but not bricking at all. Cigar, earthy moss, slight hint of citrus rind, a bit of blackberry. This wine will still be delicious in 10 years. (2401 views) | |
| Tasted by Derek Darth Taster on 3/29/2019 & rated 94 points: Brunello dinner at Imperial Treasure Ion. Bottle kept upright for weeks already. Slow ox-ed in bottle for about 30 mins and then drank over the next 1.5 hours. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of dusty Tuscan earth soil, balsamic, animal leather, dark meat, slight barnyard, dark red cherries. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), firm chewy high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of dark red cherries, sour red cherries, red plums, tomato leaf, balsamic, leather, meat, sweet tea leaves. Leathery animal meat just increasing with more air. Very long chewy finish. Very good quality. Lots of concentration, very giving. Drinking very well. Still feels like it still has much in the tank for another few more years also. Grand Cru Montosoli site indeed. (2896 views) | |
| Tasted by clairenclarence on 11/10/2018 & rated 93 points: Nose: Dense fruits,toast bean,sweet ripe plum,herb,black cherry,earth,sweet spice Palate: sweet glycerin,superb acidity that show lively fruits.nice depth of flavor.tar finishing.cherry,plum,rasins,earth,toast n hint of tea leaves. Conclusion:a bit slightly too ripe for me (3010 views) | |
| Tasted by Derek Darth Taster on 11/10/2018 & rated 93 points: Appearance lots of big sediments, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of sweet dark red plums, dark red cherries, glossy black cherries, dusty earth. Dark brown chocolate with more air. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), firm high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of concentrated black cherries, glossy dark red cherries, stewed dark red plums, black tea leaves, dusty earth. Long finish. Very good quality. Lots of ripe concentration here. Still very fruity, and still can develop over the next 4-5 years for sure! Style feels somewhat like a mixed modern, but I suppose the ripe dark black fruit could just be part of the terroir of Montosoli? (2561 views) | |
| Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 10/27/2018 & rated 94 points: From a vertical tasting, '95, '97, '99, '01, '07. Prominent and familiar acidity across all vintages. Aged elegance. Tart cherry wrapped in seasoned leather. So good! Generally the favorite amongst all these vintages. (1765 views) | |
| Tasted by Gunakadeit on 9/11/2018 & rated 93 points: Lots of secondary/tertiary flavors at this point. Deep. (1804 views) | |
| Tasted by Easter Everywhere on 8/20/2018: Fantastic. In a perfect place now. Superb balance and depth. (1844 views) | |
| Tasted by acyso on 6/6/2018 & rated 93 points: Dinner at Pizzeria Bebu (Chicago, IL): Can it be? Yet another Brunello I like? This is unabashedly Brunello, with its dried green herbs and earth, but it is also coupled with a polished black fruit quality that comes off a little glossy. Somehow, it all works together in this wine. There's ripeness and intensity, but the fruit is brilliant and the palate has enough earthiness to not become a sloppy mess. This is right on the edge of being polished and modern for my palate. (2848 views) | |
| Tasted by alamoave on 4/22/2018 & rated 92 points: Balanced and smooth. Drink now. (2058 views) | |
| Tasted by JuliannaDHS on 3/10/2018 & rated 94 points: Mamma mia! This was wonderful, a classic Brunello with cherry, leather and fabulous texture. (2124 views) | |
| Tasted by Kris G on 3/4/2018 & rated 93 points: black fruits, very long, perfect balance, lovely Brunello (2132 views) | |
| Tasted by guido23 on 12/10/2017 & rated 89 points: Decanted 2 hours and began drinking. Not much going on at first. By 4 hours some tannins began to show. An 88. Stoppered and resumed drinking 24 hours later. Nice balance but not much flavor. Raw beef on the palate. Gentle violets on the nose. Peaked at a 90 and then fell off a bit. Average it out to 89. (2590 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 11/18/2017 & rated 93 points: This is all dusty black cherry fruit that maintains a brightness despite the age. There's a touch of menthol, and a good deal of acid for the vintage, but this has great depth. A bit heady, and still a fair amount of grippy grape tannin to the palate. I'm surprised that this is more middle-aged than mature, but it's really in a good spot. I probably should have checked my last note about decanting this, which it would benefit from. (2257 views) | |
| Tasted by Nanda on 11/3/2017 flawed bottle: Gary's Intro Retro -- Italia!: corked (2469 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 11/3/2017 flawed bottle: Chicago Wine Flock...Gary Goes Italian (Chez Weber - Chicago IL): More than slightly corked. (2766 views) | |
| Tasted by KeithAkers on 9/10/2017 & rated 88 points: Vinetasters- 1997 Brunellos (Holiday Inn, Skokie IL): Nose: The nose is a little dried out with sour red cherries, raspberries, dusty notes, licorice, leather, sage, dried roses, and some dried strawberries. Taste: The feel is Full bodied with stiff, medium+ tannins and sharp, high acidity. The palate falls off a bit on the backend with a refined feel of sour red cherries, dried strawberries, licorice, leather, raspberries, and dried roses. Overall: This was my #9th and the group's #5. When this was revealed, I was surprised and maybe thought that this had seen some heat along the way as it just didn't show as expressive as I would expect. (937 views) | |
| Tasted by rieslinghoarder on 8/15/2017 & rated 92 points: Cigar and tobacco leaf initially present on the nose that yielded more sour cherry and earthy notes as it stayed in the glass. Fruit is more subdued on the palate compared to the other notes. Silky tannins and medium finish. Excellent wine. (2878 views) | |
| Tasted by Javachip on 7/15/2017 & rated 95 points: San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 7/15/2017 (Sbicca Restaurant, Del Mar, California): Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes. Clear dark garnet. Glorious bouquet of red and black sour cherries, fresh roses, lilacs, stony red soil, grilled sage. Similar on the palate, exuberant, vibrant, everything on full display, with mouthwatering acidity, polished tannins and lingering finish. ShaneT called it "the surprise of the night," surpassing some of the early favorites in the friendly competition. My #3, group's SECOND PLACE in this flight. Thanks Red Guy and Gal! (3068 views) | |
| Tasted by Rani on 5/14/2017 & rated 92 points: Tasted blind. Very earthy, dusty nose. Dark fruit, mushrooms combined with high acidity. I thought I was a Rioja at first. Was quite tight on the palate, dense and cool, but with very fine tannins. Took about 30 minutes to open up. Nice now and I'm not sure it will improve greatly with more age. (2800 views) | |
| Tasted by N.Bonaparte on 3/16/2017 & rated 95 points: Wow- needs 20 min in the glass to open up. Outstanding balance, spice box and great lingering finish. Certainly in prime with ability to age 10 more years but will not improve. What a great wine. Great value. (3304 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 2/10/2017 & rated 92 points: Dark, and more than a bit funky. Full of earth-driven, more mushroomy tones and black fruits. Mature, but large-scaled and still a firm, fine tannic frame that's a bit obtrusive. Decanting could probably help. Nice wine. (3295 views) | |
| Tasted by Frijole on 2/4/2017: tannish burgundy red, medium clarity, brickish hue Nose: blackberry, cassis, leather, cola, orange rind, juniper berries, black pepper, vanilla, green herbs, oak Pal: blackberry, cassis, plum, leather, wet earth, tar, cola, orange rind, bay leaf, juniper berries, dark chocolate, black pepper, smoke, stem, tannins, oak, some complexity Feel: full, acidic Finish: long TC9 (definitely not ready, tight, needs more time) (2534 views) | |
| Tasted by nectar14 on 10/11/2016: Nice wine, consumed rather quick at a party/offline. Still some richness in the well focused dusty fruit, with nice Sangio tang and pleasant finish. Good drinking now and several more years. (3404 views) | |
| Tasted by alamoave on 9/15/2016 & rated 92 points: Best bottle yet. At peak. Decanted for an hour (2993 views) | |
| Tasted by jakov.dvorkin@gmail.com on 7/15/2016 & rated 95 points: 97 Wine Spectator 93 Robert Parker 95 I am Really fantastic and delicious still strong and powerful after 19 years from birth and 15 from release Do not need anything except some parmigiano or pecorino Do not need long decanting , very quick will change to optimal drinking level (3345 views) | |
| Tasted by Lazerlar on 7/13/2016 & rated 90 points: was expecting more from this. It drank fine but lacked any wow factor. Purchased upon release and stored properly. But in the end it did not excite. (2814 views) | |
| Tasted by JS1056 on 6/4/2016: Really a disappointment. This was stored under ideal conditions all these years but after reading all of the great notes of the site itreally highlights that wine is a living dynamic thing and each bottle has its own life trajectory. Decanted for an hour, the nose was odd, almost like a Beaujolais Nouveau. This was pretty thin on the palette. There was fruit present, but without any real substance. The tannins were nonexistent but there was a lot of acidity. This was not a bad wine but not the same wine everyone else has described. At least the Ornellaia was great 😏 And saved the night. I won't give this a score since it is obviously a bottle variation. (3058 views) | |
| Tasted by norsktorsk on 5/28/2016 & rated 92 points: Beautiful and full bodied. Definitely in it's window now. Put this in with some JPV cabs from the 80s and early 90's in a blind tasting. Interesting. (2631 views) | |
| Tasted by rgcanada on 4/1/2016 & rated 92 points: Probably just at its peak. I will be drinking what I have left fairly soon. (3259 views) | |
| Tasted by chull on 3/27/2016 & rated 94 points: Big fruity nose on opening. Dark red/purple color with a little bit of brick tone. Drank very nicely over 5 hours becoming very smooth. (2816 views) | |
| Tasted by alamoave on 3/9/2016 & rated 92 points: Decant for at least an hour, preferably 3. (2960 views) | |
| Tasted by Louvin on 1/25/2016 & rated 93 points: decanted at restaurant, and drunk over next two hours. I'd say this is at a perfect place in terms of drinkability, resolved tannins, very nice depth of dark fruit, good splce elements. Didn't have enough time to show more complexity, next one will need more air. (3091 views) | |
| Tasted by topaz on 10/20/2015 & rated 75 points: Wine in cellar since 2002 @ 55* total brick color, thin and medicinal taste. Not enjoyable. Dumped. 1 left in Cellar will dump also. Many of 1997 highly touted Brunello Wines were disappointing. (3952 views) | |
| Tasted by GA on 8/23/2015 & rated 93 points: 8/15 Concentrated black fruit with balanced resolved tannins. 93 pts. (4048 views) | |
| Tasted by MS92 on 8/19/2015 & rated 96 points: Decanted for 2+ hours. Still a big, earthy, delicious wine. (3439 views) | |
| Tasted by Ibetian on 7/12/2015 & rated 95 points: My last bottle, a double mag, and by far the best of several bottles in 750 and 1500 formats. I noticed a lot of bottle variation on this wine over multiple years, but this was singing. Cork was perfect. Opened and let sit about 4 hours before dinner. Very fine, complex nose of red and black fruit, with some secondary chacteristics like mushrooms and just a little leather. Palate was very smooth, with red plums and a wonderful lingering finish. We served this at a dinner for 12 at our house, and it was very well received. Bought on release and stored in my cellar. Tempts me to buy the 2010 Altesino Montesoli! (3954 views) | |
| Tasted by swapdoc on 3/2/2015: Altesino Winemaker Dinner (La Pizza Fresca Ristorante): A velvet texture and a rich, pungent dark fruit core, earth, mulberry, hint of bacon, all wrapped in the end in a coat of bell pepper tannins. The nose is complex, showing plummy blue fruit, underbrush, meaty aromatics. The fruit is ripe and fat. Give a few more years for the tannins to better integrate, and this wine will truly sing. (5060 views) | |
| Tasted by cephomer on 1/31/2015 & rated 92 points: Blanco brought to my house for dinner. Medium garnet color. I didn't notice any particular signs of age. Nose of red fruit, some leather and earth. Still some fruit here--cherries & strawberries--but overwhelming notes of earth, and other tertiary elements. Some acidity, tannins mostly resolved. An elegant, earthy wine that showed very nicely. Quite enjoyable (4009 views) | |
| Tasted by Lorien on 1/11/2015 & rated 94 points: developing nicely. close to prime.. super close. a solid prime. (8845 views) | |
| Tasted by SineQuaNon on 11/13/2014 & rated 92 points: Somewhat perplexing wine here. A better wine than the 1997 Biondi Santi next to it, but showing a character in all sorts of directions. We are in Tuscany based on Sangiovese Grosso, but the nose displays graphite and pencil shavings as was it from Bordeaux and the taste shows almost Chateauneuf like density with Kirsch, lavender and raspberry liqueur. Don't know what to think really. Not an easy wine to guess blind. Glad I didn't have to:-) (4533 views) | |
| Tasted by DougLee on 8/19/2014 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured during an impromptu get together with Lyn, Collin, and our good friend Pace, who bequeathed to us some delightful bottles of Chianti Classico and Toscana IGT. Garnet hue. Potent nose of leather and spicy red fruit, along with earth and forest floor. Ripe red strawberry and dried cherry fruit on the palate, undergirded with earthy tones and darker plum notes. Tannins firm but well-managed, balancing still-fresh acidity. Very long finish of dusty red cherry, soil, fennel, and a bit of coffee. Last bottle, enjoyed by all. (4852 views) | |
| Tasted by DougLee on 8/9/2014 & rated 91 points: Medium garnet color. Nose of dried cherry, fennel, strawberry blossom, earth, leather. Sweet but dusty red cherry fruit on the palate laced with earth, red plum, leather, and spicy notes. Still acidic on the tongue with softened tannins and linear structure. Slowly echoing finish of strawberry, a bit of tar, and dried herbs. Elegant wine evolving rather quickly. (4045 views) | |
| Tasted by Rani on 7/26/2014 & rated 90 points: Tasted blind. Notes of cigar box, figs and prunes, overtones of old leather. Lots of acidity but starting to lose its grip. (3983 views) | |
| Tasted by EMTAME on 4/20/2014 flawed bottle: Cork was wet to the top on two sides, with sticky residue under the capsule. Smelled and tasted stewed. I suspect heat damage in shipping, as this was purchased 12+ from Premier Cru. Major bummer. (4859 views) | |
| Tasted by europat55 on 4/4/2014 & rated 92 points: Platinum Tasting - 1997 Brunellos and Super Tuscans (Tasted Blind) (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Fabulous, dense nose (A-/A). Green, vegetal palate, feels young (B++/A-). Feels like this needs another 5+ years. My #5, Group's #7 (71 pts). Tasted blind. (4887 views) | |
| Tasted by DougLee on 3/30/2014 & rated 92 points: Decanted for about ninety minutes. Dark garnet hue. Nose of dried cherry, dark plum, earth, a bit of moca. Autumnal flavors of dusty red plum, tart red cherry, soy, and leather on the palate with smoothed off tannins and modest acidity. Long, persistent finish of red fruit, earthiness, and spice. Lovely showing, if a bit evolved. (3986 views) | |
| Tasted by DougLee on 1/12/2014 & rated 89 points: Coarse on the palate. Never quite got going. (4853 views) | |
| Tasted by Tim Heaton on 12/21/2013: Absolutely outstanding bottle. Opened a 6am, then aerated to decanter at 11a for 5 hours before being returned to bottle, served non-blind. This brings the funk, the earth, the terroir and if you're not prepared for it (or willing to let it open up for many hours beforehand), you may pan the wine entirely, and/or miss the fireworks - which, by the way, come at about the 12hr open mark. Commendable typicity, balance and structure, this leans traditional, offers remarkable acidity and well above-average purity of fruit. Outstanding now, and will easily improve for another decade before any tertiary development begins to take hold. This can go the distance. highly recommended, thru 2033 (by the way, the current CT drinking window of 2011-2015, uh, no, not hardly). https://italianwine.blog/ (5093 views) | |
| Tasted by calodo2011 on 12/10/2013 & rated 75 points: Unfortunately, gone. Perfect provenance, but it was far too advanced. Disappointing. (4097 views) | |
| Tasted by meow02 on 10/26/2013 & rated 93 points: Only the slightest signs of age. Drinking well now but this one still has some time. Decanted for 2 hours. Tight when first uncorked. Has opened beautifully over 4+ hours. Tar, licorice, leather, hint of rose petals. Great bottle; if you have one keep it for another year or two. (4452 views) | |
| Tasted by WineBec on 5/9/2013 & rated 94 points: Leather, tobacco, cherries, acidity, concentrated...everything I love about Italy and Montalcino and Brunello. (5995 views) | |
| Tasted by Didman on 4/30/2013 & rated 91 points: This bottle starting to show some age. Still lovely, but starting to slide downhill. (5070 views) | |
| Tasted by Wino from Michigan on 4/12/2013 & rated 94 points: Amazing -- usually Brunello is earthy and intense but this one / now -- not only can you taste the soil in the wine but the tannins have mellowed and a nice balance of dried fruit and soil come through on every taste which lingers on the palate for minutes! (5003 views) | |
| Tasted by moxielady on 3/18/2013 & rated 92 points: Earthy, mineral, dark red fruit (5113 views) | |
| Tasted by jreis on 1/19/2013: Still a baby. Rugged tannins,strong earth and big bold coffee flavored fruit on the nose. quite drying tannins on the palate. Even with a few hours in the decanter, barely budged. Enough elegance around the edges, I think it is going to be good, but so young it is hard to judge. (5083 views) | |
| Tasted by lepetitchateau on 12/11/2012 & rated 91 points: This bottle was markedly more interesting, as it showed more mid-palate density and Brunello flavor. (4791 views) | |
| Tasted by welchcellars on 11/11/2012 & rated 93 points: Give this wine some time to decant and watch it grow in the glass. The funk blows off fairly quickly to reveal a typical Altesino sangio nose with bright fruit. Medium+ bodied with nice layers and a long finish. I really enjoyed this. Fruity cab lovers beware- this is not a wine for you. Pair it with food because despite it's age, there's a surprising amount of teeth coating tannin present. I drank this with my wife and friends at Tullios in downtown Seattle before seeing Wicked at the Paramount. We also opened an 04 Diamond Creek cab and an 06 Col Solare. Dishes included duck, lamb, pork, and ribeye and this wine showed very well. Fruit, depth, complexity, and aging potential. It's all there. If you have more in your cellar, feel free to enjoy it now or leave it alone. A memorable wine and a great evening. (4989 views) | |
| Tasted by lepetitchateau on 10/12/2012 & rated 87 points: Not a flawed wine but not a good wine. It starts off quite brutal and inelegant, heavy and cumbersome on the nose and the palate. As it mellows in the glass with some time and air, it loses what little intensity of flavor it possessed. By the end, it is hollow and without flavor. Another example of Gilman calling this one correctly. (5135 views) | |
| Tasted by jsebiri on 8/25/2012: really nice aged BDM , great depth in the aroma this wine gives off , tastes very good as well , big fan........ sadly i might not have anymore of this wine (5166 views) | |
| Tasted by Lorien on 5/28/2012 & rated 94 points: Ok this one needs a good 3-4 hours of air at this point, but then it glows. Massive character! I would hold a year and wait though, as it still seems as if the tannins need time to soften further. very lovely! (11223 views) | |
| Tasted by Napacablover on 4/15/2012 & rated 94 points: Enjoyed this bottle over dinner with friends. We tasted it along-side a 2005 Phelps Insignia and a Chat du Pape - the Altesino was the clear winner with all 6 of us. Decanted for over an hour. Nice bold, earthy tones that still could last for a few more years. Great bottle of wine! (5338 views) | |
| Tasted by pinothoarder on 3/31/2012 & rated 95 points: Decanted 3 hours, consumed over 10 hours. Head to head vertical against the ’01 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli. Both were tight and closed up at hour 3, and did not really start spreading their wings until about hour 4. Continued to improve in complexity and intensity to the 5 – 9 hour window, which seemed to be the peek drinking sweet spot. Wine Spectator gave them similar marks (97WS/96WS), but they couldn’t be more different; more like brother/sister rather than identical twins. Enjoyed both bottles with tomato sauce & spicy meatball dish, then finished the two several hours after dinner. The ’97 is definitely built for food; and had a complexity & acidity that stood up to, and even enhance the flavor of, the spiciness of the meatballs. Conversely, the ’01 was significantly more rich, full bodied and a lot more esoteric; one that really deserves to be sat and contemplated on its own. . I give the ’97 a 95pt score when property decanted and paired with food. The ’01 I gave 96pts; and suspect that it could even gain a couple of points within the next two years. The ’97 has improved since a year ago, but is likely hitting its peek window where it will likely maintain into 2016. (5150 views) | |
| Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 12/20/2011 & rated 93 points: Not showing much tertiary character yet, but in a highly drinkable state just the same. You get a lot of orchard-fruit aromas (think bushels and bushels of apples and some dried cherry-skin) but nothing in the non-fruit department. It shows the class of the site (or the class of the vintage?) in its highly refined tannin, which is extremely fine-grained despite there still being lots of it left; the acidic spine is just as finely etched. If this wine was ever over-the-top or too ripe as some '97s were, there's no sign of it here, as the scents are almost autumnal and the proportions very civilized and restrained. A very satisfying, drink-to-the-last drop Brunello, though I don't see any reason to rush. (7213 views) | |
| Tasted by Ibetian on 12/3/2011 & rated 91 points: From mag. Some bricking at edges. Nose has mushrooms and leather in addition to red fruit. So far seems quite mature, perhaps even past peak. But on the palate, good red fruit and bracing acidity. An interesting if slightly puzzling wine, though bottom line I enjoyed drinking it and was glad a bought it. Still, I'll probably drink my last bottle (a double mag) in the next year or two; can't see that time will be kind from here. (6080 views) | |
| Tasted by Easter Everywhere on 11/1/2011 & rated 88 points: Hint of brett, blows off, nice, firm, earthy, perhaps a touch tired (3459 views) | |
| Tasted by MC on 9/23/2011: Massive wine, full of dark red fruit but so much tannin it is hard to say how this will play out. Needs a lot of time to unfold, but not sure if the fruit will win out. Not really fun to drink now - maybe with a few hours in a decanter? A-/A? (6089 views) | |
| Tasted by Wino from Michigan on 8/14/2011 & rated 91 points: Very nice but a bit tannic still and the fruit was not as good as I remember -- not sure what is going on -- still good but not great. (6256 views) | |
| Tasted by Federsin on 7/27/2011: Opened and allowed to sit in the bottle all day, darker red in the glass, leather and earth on the nose, elegant, balanced, smooth tannins, great with the steak, a very good wine drinking well right now (6429 views) | |
| Tasted by bflood on 6/25/2011 & rated 88 points: Another dissapointing BDM for me. Already lost most fruit and strucure flimsy. (6526 views) | |
| Tasted by jeffm_fla on 6/1/2011 & rated 91 points: Good, but seems to be on its way down. Brick color at edges. Still some nice Sangiovese fruit on the nose, but mostly gone on the palate. Crisp acidity and fairly tannic. (6623 views) | |
| Tasted by Haltermr on 5/20/2011 & rated 91 points: Earthy forest floor notes, sweetness, cedar, tar, tobacco on the nose. Firring tannins kick up on entry through medium finish, and seem a bit course. Powerful wine. This wine clamped down over the course of the evening. (6581 views) | |
| Tasted by otisabdul on 4/22/2011 & rated 93 points: Another outstanding bottle. Lovely velvety texture, floral aromas, fine-grained tannins, and considerable complexity. (6946 views) | |
| Tasted by Vino Me on 4/19/2011 & rated 94 points: Dinner at the Otis House (Otis' house): Opened by Otis. Don't think this was decanted. My red wine of the night. This 14 year old BdM was holding up great and not showing any signs of fading soon. Solid tannins with plenty of dark fruit and black cherry notes. Round texture with a long finish. 94 points. (7678 views) | |
| Tasted by pinothoarder on 3/16/2011 & rated 94 points: Top honors in a blind tasting, consisting of a flight of 7, 1997 high WS-rated Brunellos; consisting of ’97 Le Gode (92 WS), ’97 Barbi (92 WS), ’97 Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo (96 WS), ’97 IL Marroneto (86 WS), ’97 Lisini (95 WS), and ’97 IL Poggione (91 WS). In the tasting-setting, this one was consumed over a 2 ˝ hour period. Was decanted 30 minutes, but started showing its best after 90 minutes in the glass; and likely would have had at least a 6-8 hour consumption arc. I rated the entire group in the 90-92 range, with the exception of Altesino which is, without a doubt, a solid 94 in every category. All of the best attributes of a traditional Brunello, and an intense and concentrated nose that made it stand out among the bunch. I doubt this is going to get any better than what it is showing right now, but this baby is just starting to shed its massive tannic back-bone, and is just starting to enter its prime drinking window; which should easily last into 2018 before it starts its slow and shallow decline. (7420 views) | |
| Tasted by madia on 1/13/2011 & rated 93 points: Brunello 1997 - An Horizontal Tasting (Moshav Burgata): If the Biondi Santi represented the classic Brunello, this one represents the modern stile. An excellent "finale" for the tasting. Superb nose, complex with a mix of fruits, perfume, leather. Full bodied and chewy (it's a '97!) a lot of sweetness, nice and strong tannins. An excellent, modern wine. (7971 views) | |
| Tasted by Ibetian on 12/20/2010: Very nice, but could actually have used another year or two in the cellar, still a bit primary. Wait until at least 2012 for mags. (7481 views) | |
| Tasted by Federsin on 12/11/2010: Opened in the morning and allowed to sit all day, mushrooms and meat on the nose, still felt young with good tannins and acidity, very nice but did not have the weight or the complexity to compete with the 1997 Ceretto Prapo that was served next, perhaps wait a couple of more years . . . (7342 views) | |
| Tasted by DerekFrance on 7/6/2010: Probably one of the best bottles of Italian wine I can remember. A beautifully full-bodied, powerful, rich, complex and yet perfectly-balanced wine. Opened the bottle and poured immediately. Been stored for years horizontally. Probably should have set it upright for hours beforehand. Lots of deposit on bottle side and too much deposit in glasses. I knew as soon as I sniffed the cork and poured it that this was something special. The blend of colours in the glass: the brownish-orange edges with a deep purple centre; the long legs on the sides of the glass. The nose was wonderfully strong and complex: great mix of fruit up front with a bit of coffee and tobacco afterwards. The mouth lived up to expectations: strong fruit up front (deep cherry with a faint chocolate after) with great sense of earth mid-mouth. Just the right length: not too long or over-powering. Restored my faith in great Italian wines. We will visit Montalcino during our Augist holidays for sure! (2614 views) | |
| Tasted by Ibetian on 6/17/2010 & rated 93 points: Drinking well now, sweet but elegant. (8139 views) | |
| Tasted by il_diavolo on 1/1/2010 & rated 94 points: decanted but was open from the start. nose has some violet and dark fruit but overwhelming aroma is smoked meat. similarly on the palate it seems that the fruit has taken back place to smoked pancetta and earth. I thought it was an excellent and well made brunello, though not long enough and not complex enough to attain the magical status implied by the WS score of 98. (8875 views) | |
| Tasted by dgaiser on 12/26/2009 & rated 89 points: Tasted when opened, decanted 2.5 hours. The initially sweet fruit which existed upon opening faded with decanting. Med+ in body and not particularly balanced. Very bitter tannin. My score gives this wine the benefit of the doubt that it will develop into something more pleasant with time, but for now, dissappointing. (9168 views) | |
| Tasted by DougLee on 12/24/2009 & rated 93 points: Popped and poured. Dark garnet color. Nose immediately open for business, showing scents of dried cherry, mulling spices, coffee, and anise. Lots of caramel and rich, dark, tart cherry on the palate, fleshing out nicely with each sip and ending with a sharp grip of tannin and sweet black acidic fruit. Oozes muscle and class on its long, echoing finish. First taste of this, a great success. (8783 views) | |
| Tasted by numcwrt2 on 11/23/2009: Frigging Corked. (9049 views) | |
| Tasted by MauriceE on 10/17/2009 & rated 91 points: Very interesting nose, chocolat, coffee, but also red fruit and spices. Complex. Compared to this, the palate is less interesting and it has a little dry finish. Also lacking length. It did not live up to my expectations. Nevertheless a very good wine. (8977 views) | |
| Tasted by MC on 10/10/2009: Dark red. Great nose of ripe fruit, but a bit heavy on the oak. On the palate this is a very good wine, with solid material - but young. Enjoyable after an hour in the decanter - but this needs more time to show what it really has. The worry is that it will dry out along the way. A-/A? (8662 views) | |
| Tasted by Cheryl on 10/1/2009: 1996 PR Rose, 1971 Barolo and 1997 Brunellos (Porto Leggero, Jersey City, NJ): No. Loads of tannins which contributed to a bad, chalky mouthfeel. Lots of acid. I'll be kind and say it is too early, but I think I just don't like it. (9101 views) | |
| Tasted by YQUEM90 on 9/20/2009 & rated 99 points: Just stunning. Powerful but very balanced. A killer brunello and now at age 12 coming into its own. I find this wine very "evocative" -- gives you pause to think and reflect, to say to yourself "hey -- life is good." Enjoy with food (definitely robust enough to handle heavier dishes) and friends (9000 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 1/20/2009 & rated 94 points: Cherries. Very youthful wine with a lot of fruit. Full bodied, round and complex and a long future ahead. 5 - 8 years will be no problem. (9385 views) | |
| Tasted by cvvhrn on 1/11/2009 & rated 95 points: Notes consisten with the last several tastings. Sadly my last bottle. Hints of tobacco and fruit on the nose with earth and dust on the palate and a long finish (8395 views) | |
| Tasted by Kirk Grant on 9/9/2008: Looking into the glass there was a light bricking at the rim and unfortunately there was a decent amount of sediment in the glass as well. However, nothing could hold this wine back...with intense scents of earth, funk, manure, and truffles this wine was a knockout...and my personal favorite of the 4 wine flight. In the mouth there was nice acidity and well concealed tannins within a dirty cherry, blackberry component that just lifted this wine to another quality level. I have only had one other Brunello that stopped me in my tracks like this...and it was the 1999 Casanova di Neri Cerretalto. This is a wine that still has years left for those who are patient...but with it tasting this good, why wait? Absolutely stunning...a true Classic! (8660 views) | |
| Tasted by keelegl on 8/27/2008 & rated 94 points: Popped and poured. Dark red color showing no signs of age. Beautiful nose of crushed blueberries, licorice and vanilla. Tasty dark cherry and mushroom on the medium bodied palate. Fine tannins and a long 30 sec+ finish. Still has the structure to age gracefully and might improve some, but it is so good right now. (8126 views) | |
| Tasted by otisabdul on 7/19/2008 & rated 94 points: Drinking beautifully, with violets gushing from the nose. Silky mouthfeel and a long finish. A very clean and pure brunello, with no discernably dirty or rustic notes. (8550 views) | |
| Tasted by PVJC on 5/10/2008: Really started to get interesting 90 min - 2 hours after decanting, before that it was too tight and tannic. Still wasn't as blown away as I was hoping to, but should have decanted earlier and not drunk any of it until it had been open at least 2 hours. (8035 views) | |
| Tasted by chefberg on 4/4/2008 & rated 94 points: Consumed at Per Se. Not ready to drink but still a very solid wine. Notes of toffee and caramel come through the berry fruit but it took a while. Decanted for 8 hours. Hold for at least another 5 years. (7597 views) | |
| Tasted by drcbarroso on 12/3/2007 & rated 90 points: Had as part of a vertical tasting of too much stinking wine so not much in the way of notes. This was drank next to a 97 Tenuta Friggiali BDM and 97 Avignonesi Vino Nobile de Montepulciani. This was clearly the best wine of the 3, but overly tannic and in need of time at this point. There's some fantastic, pure fruit in there, but just not in its optimal drinking window at this point. My #2 and the group's clear #1. (8887 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 10/27/2007: Wine Spectator Wine Experience; 10/26/2007-10/27/2007 (New York): Dark berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Earthy mushroom hints starting to emerge. Moderate acidity and structure makes me think this will be best for the near- and medium-term. Intriguing perfumed note on finish. Very good now. (2896 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 10/27/2007 & rated 93 points: WS NYWE 1997 Italian tasting (Marriott Marquis): Coffee red color. Spicy black fruit nose with just a hint of licorice. big bold black tight tannic fruit with black pepper and licorice. 93-94 pts. (8452 views) | |
| Tasted by otisabdul on 10/27/2007 & rated 95 points: WS Wine Experience - '97 Italian Seminar (NYC): Represented on the dais by Elisabetta Gnudi, who used to work for a pharmaceutical company, but decided that “wine was a better drug.” This was my favorite wine of the tasting, perhaps because it is the most evolved. Great brunello nose of violets and plums. Having tasted this wine many times, I noticed that the fruit is getting lighter and more elegant. Secondary characteristics are starting to emerge more expressively, but the incredibly silky mouthfeel is still in place. Definitely in its drinking window. (9522 views) | |
| Tasted by cvvhrn on 10/13/2007 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Robs and Carolynes (Robs House): Second go around with this wine and it was just as good as the first. The last one was I opened was at a restousant and the wine steward had decanted it for 1.5 hours prior to service. I could not wait and tasted it at 15 minute intervals. initaly it was a bit tight with a very strong barn yard smell to to it. However, it opened up and the nose changed dramitacy by the first hour. After that the tasiting notes were the same as the previous (Another excellent BDM. It was very old school and rustic but appealed to my palate quite nicely. Hints of tobacco and fruit on the nose with earth and dust on the palate and a long finish.) I have found a local source for this at a great price and I am going to stock up on it to tide me over till my 2001 are ready (8599 views) | |
| Tasted by cvvhrn on 8/25/2007 & rated 95 points: 1st Annual Above Top Secret . Com Annual Dinner 2008 at the San Jose UFO Expo (DoubleTree San Jose): Another excellent BDM. It was very old school and rustic but appealed to my palate quite nicely. Hints of tobacco and fruit on the nose with earth and dust on the palate and a long finish. Im so glad I have a few more bottles. (8574 views) | |
| Tasted by markellen.foodies@gmail.com on 6/24/2007 & rated 90 points: Dinner Party at The Jade: Served with cheese course. This had been double decanted the prior day, in expectation of Andre and Ingrid joining us at Quattro. They couldn't make it. It seemed, I was the only one to enjoy this wine, as the others preferred Sergio's Rioja, Charlie thought it tight and too young. I thought it might be past its prime? I'll wait on my last one to see if Charlie is right. (8803 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 5/24/2007 & rated 92 points: WIML92+,WA93,WS98 Tasted May 19, 2007 at an offline. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking in the glass. Nose of leather with some black berry aromas. Flavors of black berries with a little cherry. Medium acidity, drying tannins, medium body. Needs more time so I recommend holding. Potential for improvement here. (7038 views) | |
| Tasted by Easter Everywhere on 3/1/2007 & rated 87 points: Still youthfull, firm, tannic, starts w/tar & funk, opens up over 2 hrs to reveal berry, flower & spices, give some time (3159 views) | |
| Tasted by plhew on 2/23/2007 & rated 94 points: Decanted a 3L for 2 hours before birthday celebration. upon opening it tasted acidic and somewhat unbalanced, but during the dinner it showed very well with improved bouquet and rounded out very nicely. Medium to full body with good fruit. Tasted a bit bolder than most brunellos. People thought it tasted younger, like a 2000 rather than a 1997, so it seems like it can continue to improve. (7091 views) | |
| Tasted by bsherwin on 4/24/2006: .8 Bottle Italian Off-line (I Trulli): Interesting, almost S. Rhone-like nose of grilled meat and dry cherries. Started out pretty dusty as the tannins gripped hard on the fruit. It softened up substantially with some air revealing sour cherry to go along with hints of tabacco and cedar. Really came on strong and I suspect would benefit with a few more years in the bottle. Still, I don't think this showed tremendous typicity of Brunello and some commented that they could have picked this to be a French wine. WOTF. (8691 views) | |
| Tasted by otisabdul on 3/30/2006 & rated 94 points: Purchased on release for $75. Popped and poured without decanting in the middle of a steak meal. It meshed beautifully with the food. Velvety fine-grained tannins, with dark plum and cranberry flavors. Quite smooth, with a more substantial density than most BdMs. Its structural integrity bodes well for further improvement. Was still holding up well after two days in the fridge, with violet and smoky cocoa notes emerging to the fore. Drink 2007 through 2015. (7666 views) | |
| Tasted by SteveHyde on 1/24/2006: brought to a small wine tasting dinner at Dino in DC to honor Kelly Walker's visit to DC. On opening, this seemed to be corked. Wet, musty aromas rose from the glass. Thankfully, Kelly suggested we give it some time. We decanted it, and after about 15 minutes, it began to open, to show beautiful red berry fruit, tobacco, pine resin, currants, and coffee. A lovely wine that has loads of development ahead of it. (7725 views) | |
| Tasted by rturko on 12/24/2005 & rated 92 points: Took a bit to open up but once it did...wow! (7795 views) | |
| Tasted by Winetex on 11/19/2005 & rated 92 points: From magnum; Good Brunello that still needs some time. (7615 views) | |
| Tasted by KellyW on 10/19/2005 & rated 88 points: This was very disappointing. Like cold black tea. Some complexity on the nose but the palate was uninspiring. Maybe a phase. I sure hope so. (7619 views) | |
| Tasted by mdefreitas on 11/17/2003 & rated 90 points: Jeff V Bday: Still healthy red in color. A bit more open than before. Dusty cherry, and hints of spice. Still seemed like it could use more denisty, but it did fill in a bit with some air. (8164 views) | |
| Tasted by mdefreitas on 9/19/1998 & rated 87 points: CT Group does 1995 Bordeaux w/ Blind Wine Mania @ Mike J: Quite a dissapointment given the hype on this wine. A nice, medium bodied wine. Cherry, oak, high acidity, some earth. Overall inpression was that of a rather nice Chianti Classico... no where near the concentration expected of a 1990 Brunello. This tasting was done after many flights of 1995 Bordeauxs, so perhaps palate fatigue was at fault here. Or, perhaps this wine has closed down. Try agin in 2005? (8741 views) |
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AltesinoProducer websiteU.S. Importer (addt'l info) Source: VinConnect http://vinconnect.com The Altesino winery overlooks the breathtaking UNESCO-heritage landscape of south-central Tuscany in the Montalcino region not far from Siena. Its beautiful estate is crowned with the 15th century Palazzo Altesi, which is the centerpiece of its winery operations. Additional modern winemaking structures are integrated into the hillside alongside it. Altesino’s flagship wine is its single-vineyard Brunello di Montalcino “Montosoli,” made from 100% Sangiovese grapes cultivated in its most prestigious vineyard. An ambassador for Italian wine around the world and one of Montalcino’s most sought-after wines, the “Montosoli” Brunello repeatedly earns glowing reviews from the world’s top wine publications. Robert Parker called Altesino’s Montosoli “one of the most distinct and profound wines, with delicate floral and mineral nuances that are elegantly interwoven within a thicker textural consistency.” As Altesino’s flagship wine it best exemplifies the unrivaled elegance, richness and drinkability of the estate’s style. Altesino embodies tradition and history, and at the same time perceptive innovation. Where international renown for Brunello di Montalcino has nudged many winemakers towards conservatism, Altesino has always blazed new wine trails. Founded in 1972 by Milanese entrepreneur Giulio Consonno, in 1975 the winery was the first in Brunello to introduce the concept of single-vineyard crus with its famous Montosoli bottling. The winery was also the first to experiment with French barrique in 1979, yielding wines with more fruit and complexity – a critical turning point in Brunello’s history. And, in 1985, Altesino pioneered the concept of futures in Brunello, or the selling of wines before they are bottles or released. When Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini bought the winery in 2002, her decision to keep the only winemaker that Altesino has ever known, Claudio Basla, was central to their ongoing success delivering consistently high quality wines in the Altesino style. To supplement the team she hired Guido Orzolesi, who works as Marketing Director alongside Claudio and Enologist Paolo Caciorgna. In addition to the Montosoli and the regular Brunello and Brunello Riserva made from Sangiovese, the team also grows several other varieties and produces Rosso di Montalcino, Super Tuscans Palazzo Altesi and Alte d’Altesi, Rosso and Bianco I.G.T., Vin Santo d’Altesi, and a selection of grappa, brandy, and extra virgin olive oil. Should you visit Tuscany, tours of Altesino’s vineyards and cellar — bringing you through the vine rows before you visit the winemaking and maturation cellars — can be arranged here. SangioveseSANGIOVESE: (Pronounced "sahn-joh-vhe-se").Sangiovese - Italy's claim to fame, the pride of Tuscany. Traditionally made, the wines are full of cherry fruit, earth, and cedar. It produces Chianti (Classico), Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Montefalco Rosso, and many others. Sangiovese is also the backbone in many of the acclaimed, modern-styled "Super-Tuscans", where it is blended with Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc) and typically aged in French oak barrels, resulting a wine primed for the international market in the style of a typical California cabernet: oaky, high-alcohol, and a ripe, jammy, fruit-forward profile.[16] Semi-classic grape grown in the Tuscany region of Italy. Used to produce the Chianti and other Tuscan red wines. Has many clonal versions, two of which seem to predominate. The Sangiovese Grosso clone Brunello variety is used for the dark red, traditionally powerful and slow-maturing "Brunello di Montalcino" wine. The other is the Sangiovese Piccolo, also known under the historical synonym name Sangioveto, used for standard Chianti Classico DOC wines. Old vine derived wine is often used in the better versions, needing several years ageing to reach peak. A third clone, Morellino, is used in a popular wine blend with the same name found in the southern part of the province. Recent efforts in California with clones of this variety are very promising, producing medium-bodied reds with rich cherry or plumlike flavors and aromas. Among the available clonal versions are R6 and R7, derived from the Montalcino region of Italy, having average productivity/ripening and producing small berries on medium size clusters. R10 and R24 are well-recommended. R23, listed as deriving from the Emilia-Romagna region, has good vigor with medium-small clusters with earlier ripening. R102 derives from the Montepulciano region and reported to have average vigor with moderate productivity that results in higher sugar levels and good acidity from medium-small berries on medium-small clusters. Has synonym name of Nielluccio where grown in Corsica. MontosoliOn weinlagen.infoItalyItalian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorTuscanyTuscany (ItalianMade.com) | TuscanytMontalcinoMontalcino websiteBrunello di MontalcinoConsorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino (Official DOCG website) |