Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Bassolino di Sopra by Pian dell'Orino (2024)

FAQs

Why is Brunello di Montalcino so expensive? ›

High-Quality Standards: The rigorous production regulations set by the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium ensure that only the highest quality wines bear the Brunello label. This commitment to quality often requires additional investment in vineyard management, winemaking techniques, and quality control.

Brunello di Montalcino is, without a doubt, one of the most highly regarded wines in the world. Adored by critics, collectors, young and old, casual and serious drinkers alike, this Italian red is like a classic Porsche 911.

Some great vintages in their prime drinkability periods are 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2010. Older ones, such as 1997 and 2001, will offer the most refined and candy-like flavors. Brunellos from 2012 and 2015 are also predicted to be exceptional, though a few more years of aging are necessary for the best flavors.

Now that the wine is aged and softened by time, our Brunello is more ravishing than ever. With 10+ years of age, Brunello di Montalcino drops the fresh fruit flavors to reveal sweeter notes of dried figs, candied cherries, hazelnuts, and sun-baked leather. The tannins turn chocolatey and the acidity is succulent.

In summary, the Brunello will always be more powerful wines and with greater aging capacity, and in Chianti it will depend on the producer and the specification, so we will find wines that are lighter and ready to drink and other more corpulent and complex ones that will be worth it.

So, to get the most from Brunello aging, it's generally a good idea to wait a minimum of ten years after the vintage is released before you consider if it's worth drinking or selling. Unless you have a very old Brunello vintage (one made in the 1990s or earlier), you'll probably want to give it more time.

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita): Literally translated, it is “Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin”. A much more strict version of the DOC laws, usually putting caps on yields, and requiring a government committee to pass the wine itself via analysis, evaluation, and tasting.

Brunello borrowed from Italian, from bruno "dark in color, brown" (going back to Vulgar Latin *brūn-, borrowed from Germanic) + -ello, noun suffix (going back to Latin -ellus, originally diminutive suffix, variant of -ulus with stems ending in r); Brunello di Montalcino borrowed from Italian, literally "Brunello of ...

Strong structure is common to both types of wine, but their relationship of tannin and acidity is inverted: Barolo wines tend to have high tannin with acidity that is just a touch lower, while Brunello di Montalcino wines tend to have high acidity with tannin that is slightly lower.

Because of its characteristics, Brunello can be aged for a long time, improving as the years go by. It is not easy to determine exactly for how many years it improves. It depends on the vintage. It varies from a minimum of 10 years to around 30 years, but it can be kept for even longer.

Does Brunello need to breathe? ›

Amarone, barolo, brunello, super Tuscans: at least 20 minutes. These are the superstar wines of Italy and tend to be slightly higher in alcohol. Decanting helps to loosen their tannins and allows the wine to shine in the glass. Decanting allows the wine to “breathe”.

Before a bottle of Brunello can be drunk it is best to be decanted using a decanter. A decanter is a glass jug that is wider at the bottom than at the top. The wide bottom ensures that a large part of the wine is in direct contact with the air.

Let's start with how the two wines are similar: Both Brunellos and Cabernet Sauvignons are rich, full-bodied red wines. Brunello is the name of a wine that comes from the Montalcino region in Italy's Tuscany; by law, Brunellos are made using 100 percent Sangiovese grapes.

Perfect pairings with Brunello di Montalcino can be stewed and braised game dishes, with wild boar, guinea fowl, or duck, but also roast veal and pork.

Full-bodied reds, such as Bordeaux, California Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Rhone Valley, Australian Shiraz, Burgundy, Oregon Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Italian Brunello and Barolo and port, show themselves best at 60ºF to 65ºF (about forty-five minutes in the fridge; bottle should be slightly cool to the touch).

Rosso di Montalcino DOC

The winemakers' need to produce an easier and also cheaper wine than Brunello di Montalcino gave rise to Rosso di Montalcino. This is the second wine from Montalcino for its reputation, quantity, and quality. It's only produced inside the municipality of Montalcino with pure Sangiovese.