Brunello di Montalcino

A successful vintage for the best producers in Montalcino, now fully mature, this will be great if partnered with a Bistecca Fiorentina.

Tucked away off the Torronieri road the small Cerbaiona estate had been home to Diego & Nora Molinari since 1977, who produced their first vintage in 1980, all 70 bottles of it! Due to advancing old age and ill health, Diego and Nora have reluctantly had to sell the estate recently. This led to an opportunity to purchase some of their back vintage holdings of their rare and highly sought-after Brunello di Montalcino, which we leapt at.
The estate comprises 3 hectares of vines and 12 ha of wood and olive grove; half planted to Brunello, the rest to Sant'Antimo and IGT Toscana (using Cabernet Sauvignon, Malvasia Nera, Merlot & Syrah). Production is limited to 8,000 bottles.

Lying on the north-eastern shoulder of the Montalcino commune the estate enjoys a fine eastern exposition at 390 metres elevation, with good aeration & galestro/alberese clay soils. This imbues the wines with a naturally good acidity. Diego did not use herbicides, pesticides or fungicides on his vines. This hands-off approach is reflected in their tiny winery, which is bolted onto the back of the 16th century property. A wooden press is preferred, followed by gentle vinification in cement & ageing in 20hl Slavonian botte. The Brunello spends 30 months in oak, followed by a year in bottle pre-release.

This Brunello di Montalcino was bottled in September 2014, having spent 3.5 years in large slavonian oak botti (the flagship Ugolaia sees chestnut). Filippo recalls the late harvest of 10th October, giving a richer alcohol that balance out the crunchy structure.

The nose is composed, tranquil, harmonious, perfectly poised, with brambly/strawberry/iron fruit, both fruity but also restrained. Fermentation in cement for 25 days, the result is a racy, cassis/redcurrant crunch, with transparent, vivid, delicious cassis freshness, energy, plenty of ‘ping’; a classic Lisini Brunello, with fruit and refined tannins. Tasted in Jan 2015
David Berry Green

The Riserva spends an additional six months in oak, which gives a slightly darker fruit character, more savoury aromas and slightly grainier tannin structure. There is a balsamic note and richness to the core that enables the Riserva to shine and express its individuality.
Drink 2017-2027.

Delightful red and black Sangiovese fruit, good ripeness and depth on the nose. More of the same with the addition of crisp acidity and ripe tannins on the palate, it’s all about the Sangiovese grosso fruit here, with notes of cherry, grilled meats and red currants. Good length and a harmonious finish, another great Brunello from Costanti, this will be at its best from its tenth birthday, but could be drunk from 2017.
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager

A hotly-awaited wine, the 2010 is Andrea’s first Riserva since the 2007 vintage. Only 8,000 bottles were made of this profound, deep-garnet beauty from the mythical 2010 vintage. Aged only in large botti, not barriques, the nose is rich with tamarind, kirsch, dark cherry, tobacco and loganberry. It's so finely detailed, yet flows effortlessly, a thread of dark, forest fruit, and white-stone minerality.

Local lad Andrea Mantengoli’s organic fruit, modern approach to winemaking and use of both large Slavonian barrels and small French barriques for ageing, provides a more contemporary expression of Brunello di Montalcino. Indeed so much so that we charged him with making our new own-label Brunello di Montalcino. The seven-hectare property is well located close to neighbours Cerbaiona, on the north-eastern shoulder of Montalcino, blessed with atypically white, tufo, limestone soils.

Richer, more obvious in its fleshy, raspberry charm, this is very inviting, sensual, creamy even. Darker and broader in colour, the palate is generous and sumptuous, with an almost raspberry-ripple richness. The texture is one of crushed velvet, of sweet currants and heady fruit; in a word – lush.

One of Montalcino’s oldest estates, dating back to the time of the Medicis, Lisini is known more recently as one of the founding fathers of the Brunello di Montalcino Consorzio of the 1960s. The Clementi-Lisini family, at the 154-hectare property near Sant’Angelo in Colle (20 hectares are under vine), make a thoroughly traditional range that builds on ancient Eocene sand, clay and iron-rich soils; wines that were first bottled in 1967. Oenologist Filippo Paoletti stands guard over the estate’s pre-eminent position.

One of Montalcino’s oldest estates, dating back to the time of the Medicis, Lisini is known more recently as one of the founding fathers of the Brunello di Montalcino Consorzio in the 1960s. The Clementi-Lisini family, at the 154-hectare property near Sant’Angelo in Colle (with 20 hectares are under vine), make a thoroughly traditional range that builds on ancient Eocene sand, clay and iron-rich soils; wines that were first bottled in 1967. Oenologist Filippo Paoletti stands guard over the estate’s pre-eminent position.

Lisini's Brunelli remain among our most traditional; in youth they are focused, quite serious, with crunchy-cool poise, and an almost Burgundian, herbal, cassis edge in 2011. Yet it opens up more on the palate, after 3.5 years’ oak-ageing after all, with juicy currants, gleaming cranberry-purity, cleansing acidity, red cherries, thick redcurrant-skins.

Compared to their neighbour La Serena, Cerbaiona’s 2010 Brunello is altogether more refined sleek. Dark garnet red, the nose is a compote of loganberry, clove, black pepper even of blood-like aromas. Incredibly composed pinpoint, the palate is square emphatic, with distinct meaty (‘carnoso’), racy, ‘sweet’ red cassis flavours. Structured, it is underpinned by a mesh of fruit tannins minerals. Giving little away in its youth. Needs time in bottle. Drink 2018-2030
David Berry Green

Right from the off this is clearly a serious wine, it has a deep brooding nose with spice, heaps of morello cherry and chocolate notes. The palate is beautifully dense, multi-layered, textured and beautifully done. The morello cherry is there again, this time accompanied by liquorice and smokey notes. The intensity is such that this has a long future ahead of it and long term it is a wine that is sure to enhance the 2010 vintage’s legacy. Drink 2020-2035
Matthew Tipping, Fine Wine Sales Manager