Discover the list of the 25 best Brunello di Montalcino recommended by Jean Marco Palmieri with photos, description and score in cents.
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INDEX:
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Brunello di Montalcino Vintages
- Brunello di Montalcino recommended by Jean Marco Palmieri
Brunello di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most famous and prestigious Italian red wines,recognized internationally for its elegance, complexity and great aging potential.
Brunello di Montalcino owes its fame to an intuition of Clemente Santi, a pharmacist. Santi was the first to plant the new selected vines of Sangiovese Grosso (today locally called Brunello) in the Il Greppo farm in Montalcino.
Brunello di Montalcino wine can be produced exclusively from 100% Sangiovese grapes in the territory of the municipality of Montalcino, in the province of Siena. To date, the hectares of vineyards dedicated to the production of Brunello di Montalcino are approximately 2000.
The disciplinary of Brunello di Montalcino provides that it must be aged for at least two years in oak containers (of any size) and that it is put on the market no earlier than 1 January of the fifth year following the harvest.
Brunello di Montalcino Vintages
Discover the ranking of the best vintages of Brunello di Montalcino from 1970 to today with the rating expressed in stars. The maximum excellence of five stars is attributed exclusively to the best vintages.
For further information, you can consult the article dedicated to the best vintages of Brunello di Montalcino, complete with a detailed description of the climatic trend in each vintage.
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BEST BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO recommended by Jean Marco Palmieri
What is the best Brunello di Montalcino?
Discover our updated list of the best 20 Brunello di Montalcino wines from the best wineries.
There will be photos, score in cents and description so that everyone can find the best Brunello di Montalcino wines suited to their tastes.
Montosoli – Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Altesino
Description: The nose is pressing, characterized by fruity nuances of red cherries and sour cherries, embellished with notes of tea, licorice and cloves, with saline suggestions.
In the mouth it is very fresh and drinkable, with a velvety tannic texture that supports the palate and stretches towards a savory and persistent finish.
Traditional vinification and long aging in oak barrels. The historic first cru of Montalcino born in 1972 fascinates once again for its undisputed stylistic imprint oriented towards elegance.
One of the best Brunello di Montalcino for expressiveness and harmony: the well-sculpted tannins give rhythm and volume and make the sip rich and satisfying.
Brunello di Montalcino Giovanni Neri 2018 – Casanova di Neri
Description:The bouquet is based on notes of sour cherries and red fruits, followed by suggestions of sweet spices, undergrowth and tobacco. On the palate it is rich and enveloping, with compact tannins that evolve into a finish of excellent persistence in which the fruit is the protagonist.
Giovanni Neri was born to celebrate the founder of the company fifty years after the purchase of the first vineyard. The grapes, selected grain by grain and produced from half a century old vineyards, are vinified with meticulous attention to extract only the best tannins without the addition of yeasts. The slow aging in wood then characterizes the aromatic profile and enhances the typicality of the vine.
A long-limbed and vibrant interpretation, a synthesis of territoriality and evolution. With full rights among the best Brunello di Montalcino for the overwhelming persistence on the palate and for the elegant notes of well-characterizing red fruits.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Le Potazzine
Description: The nose opens on sinuous notes of dark fruit, plum jam and violet, to evolve on toasted tones of bitter cocoa, coffee and sweet spices. In the mouth it explodes powerfully and confidently, the tannins are compact and well outlined, skilfully balanced by a very pleasant acid vein. The finish is very long, full and satisfying.
Le Potazzine’s Brunello di Montalcino comes from vineyards managed with sustainable agronomic practices that respect biodiversity. Spontaneous fermentations with indigenous yeasts, long macerations and refinements in medium-sized Slavonian oak barrels give life to a label made with ‘artisan’ methods that does not give up elegance and refinement.
Deservedly among the best Brunello di Montalcino: extremely long-lived and with an authentic and well-defined character.
‘Lucére’ Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – San Filippo
Description: It suggests intense fragrant aromas of ripe red berries, cocoa powder, balsamic notes and epiphanies of wild walks. The sip is enveloping and soft, with a thick but silky tannin and a pressing acidity that favors drinkability.
Alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks at controlled temperature, malolactic fermentation in cement and steel tanks. Aging in barriques for about 24 months.
A fragrant, powerful but refined cru wine, a riot of fruit and a very long finish. Fully among the best Brunello di Montalcino for its sensational persistence and great olfactory intensity.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Il Marroneto
Description: It opens with notes of undergrowth, red flowers, blackberries and licorice root to continue towards balsamic and roasting stamps. The sip is broad and full-bodied, characterized by a lively and well-defined tannin. Round finish with excellent persistence on the fruit.
Marroneto is one of the historic companies in the area. It is located in an ancient chestnut dryer – hence the name – and for years has been producing one of the best Brunello di Montalcino with passion and dedication. Minimum interventions in the vineyard and in the cellar to let the potential of Sangiovese express itself, limited macerations to preserve the floral and fragrant part.
Impeccable interpretation of Brunello di Montalcino, certainly among the best for the dialectic between the sharpness of the fruit and tertiary notes, softness and acidity. An unmissable wine for true enthusiasts.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Mastrojanni
Description: Layered notes of cherry, berries and plum to which are added tones of sweet spices and balsamic puffs. The sip is flowing with a powerful tannic texture which is counterbalanced by a pleasant mineral sapidity which gives rhythm, structure and volume to the palate.
Mastrojanni’s Brunello di Montalcino was born thanks to the hand of Maurizio Castelli, a world-renowned winemaker. The company works with cement tanks to respect ancient traditions, have good temperature control and keep the primary and fermentative aromas intact. The vineyards enjoy a very special microclimate created by the proximity to Monte Amiata.
A full-bodied wine with full and well-defined tannins: great territorial identity. Deservedly among the best Brunello di Montalcino for those who love a classic, powerful and uncompromising interpretation.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Poggio di Sotto
Description: The bouquet is characterized by notes of blackberry, cherry and potpourri, embellished with balsamic brushstrokes and tertiary hints of graphite, licorice and tobacco. The sip is full and enveloping and the tannins are elegant and well outlined, supported by a nice acidity that culminates in a fresh and persistent finish.
Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and minimal interventions both in the vineyard and in the cellar. A ‘traditional’ vinification assisted by modern technologies, in line with the soul of Poggio di Sotto, one of the companies that represents a model of management and quality for the whole denomination.
A Brunello di Montalcino of great structure and power, among the best for opulence and richness on the palate.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Salvioni La Cerbaiola
Description: Captivating between raspberry, ripe cherry, vanilla and dark chocolate. On the palate it is full-bodied and enveloping, with a finish of good persistence with the fruit as protagonist.
The low yields of the Salvioni La Cerbaiola vineyards give grapes concentrated in aromas that are carefully and scrupulously processed to respect their integrity, potential and structure. Each plot is characterized by a different terroir which translates into a wine full of complexity and harmony.
A voluminous interpretation of thoroughbred Sangiovese, which skilfully combines freshness and tannic vigor.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Uccelliera
Description: The nose convinces us with penetrating aromas of dark ripe fruit embellished with woody nuances, leather, tobacco. On the palate it is sapid and fresh, with a thick and enveloping tannic texture. Slightly balsamic finish of excellent persistence and cleanliness.
Andrea Cortonesi produces a unique Brunello di Montalcino. Each vine is enhanced with agronomic practices that respect the peculiarities of the land and the vintage. In the cellar the grapes are cooled with dry ice to preserve their aromas; spontaneous fermentation follows. The wine then matures in barrels of different sizes and toastings.
A complex wine, among the best Brunello di Montalcino for its ability to reconcile identity and this. Good aging potential.
Brunello di Montalcino Piersante 2018 – La Rasina
A kaleidoscope of fragrant suggestions ranging from wild raspberry, violet, blood orange flanked by medicinal herbs and a delicately woody finish.
On the palate it is broad and enveloping, supported by a backbone acidity that gives freshness and drinkability.
The Brunello di Montalcino Piersante of La Rasina fascinates for the balance between the alcoholic, phenolic and acidity components.
Great premise of aging potential.
Without any doubt among the best Brunello di Montalcino for frank and authentic character.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Franco Pacenti
On the nose, penetrating olfactory epiphanies of ripe cherries emerge, echoed by hints of autumn forest, cinnamon, goudron and dark cocoa powder.
On the palate it is savory with a captivating tannic texture that creates an alternating note with the fruity sapid components. Long, harmonious finish, with echoes of fruit and sweet spices.
Fully among the best Brunello di Montalcino for sensational persistence, cleanliness, integrity of the fruit and great finesse on the palate. Interesting combination of a modern and traditional enological character.
Brunello di Montalcino ‘Il Ciliegio’ 2018 – La Magia
Description: A kaleidoscope of delicate floral sensations followed by notes of wild raspberry and blood orange, medicinal herbs and humus, embellished with well-integrated and dosed sweet nuances, woody spicy notes. The palate is exciting, the polyphenolic content is synergistically linked to a backbone acidity that gives great freshness, harmony and drinkability.
The Brunello Il Ciliegio by La Magia is vinified in steel tanks and wooden truncated cones; a long maceration follows to extract colour, perfumes and polyphenols.
Refines in new and used French oak tonneaux for an impeccable harmony of tertiary aromas.
Deservedly among the best Brunello di Montalcino for its ability to reconcile richness and elegance: sensational aromatic complexity, precision and intelligibility of the fruit.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Castello di Tricerchi
Description: Galvanizes the nose with an ample and delicate bouquet that ranges from aromas of ripe cherry, violet and eucalyptus, embellished with nipitella, undergrowth and delicate tar notes. The palate is characterized by a velvety tannin which assists the sip towards an elegant finish of great harmony.
The grapes, harvested manually with careful selection, ferment with indigenous yeasts in steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The long maceration with the skins gives vertical structure and sensational aromas.
One of the best Brunello di Montalcino for freshness and pleasantness on the palate. The floral and balsamic aromas are the prelude to a long-limbed and harmonious sip.
An emerging success that of Tommaso Squarcia of Castello di Tricerchi, capable of interpreting a vintage as difficult as 2018 like few others with courageous and original choices. Great expectations for the next vintages.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Fornacina
Description:
It opens with tones of blood orange and raspberry followed by a more austere character of tar, leather and toasted and spicy notes. It stimulates the palate with silky tannins and good acidity which favors drinkability.
Vinification in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature, with long maceration and traditional pumping over. Maturation in large Slavonian oak barrels follows.
La Fornacina combines tradition and avant-garde cellar techniques to obtain a product with an authentic and exciting character, rightfully among the best Brunello di Montalcino.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Col di Lamo
Description: The olfactory framework is seductive and outlines nuances of ripe cherry, wild raspberry to make room for woody, tar and tobacco tones. On the palate it is voluminous, with a thick tannic texture well outlined and synergistically linked to an engaging acidity that creates dialectic and rhythm. Excellent persistence with aftertaste echoes on the fruit and spices.
The Col di Lamo company is the expression of a sophisticated and linear architectural concept. Perfectly integrated into the landscape, the cellar is inserted in the natural slope of the hills cultivated with Brunello di Montalcino which surround it all around. A fascinating structure where high quality wines are produced and matured.
An unmissable Brunello di Montalcino: riot of perfumes and skilfully integrated tertiary notes. On the palate it reveals a powerful extract and great character which leads us to assume an excellent aging potential.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Le Chiuse
Description:
The nose is played on intense notes of black berried fruit, licorice, bitter cocoa and sweet spices. On the palate it is soft and balanced, the tannins envelop the mouth in an engaging and round sip.
Manual selection of grapes, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and aging in large Slavonian oak barrels as per tradition.
A wine of great depth, whose tannic texture suggests that it has excellent aging potential. Fully among the best Brunello di Montalcino.
Brunello di Montalcino ‘Campo del Drago’ 2018 – Castiglion del Bosco
Description: Olfactory suggests fruits of small wild red fruits, floral nuances of violet embellished with white chocolate and cloves. On the palate it is voluminous, rich in extract with silky tannins and a very long finish in which the eloquence of the fruit echoes as the undisputed protagonist.
After careful fermentation at a controlled temperature, the Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago from Castiglion del Bosco. matures in French oak casks partly barriques and partly casks of 30 – 50 hectolitres.
A Brunello di Montalcino with fragrant and varietal aromas that spreads wide and vigorously on the palate. Deservedly among the best Brunello di Montalcino for drinkability.
Brunello di Montalcino Le Pope 2018 – Verbena
Description: Fascinating aromatic spectrum that is articulated on morello cherry and raspberry followed by spicy registers, calamint leather and juniper berries.
On the palate it is powerful, with well-defined and compact tannins supported by a vibrant acidity that seals the sip with balance and character.
The Brunello di Montalcino Le Pope di Verbena is obtained from vineyards in the South-East of Montalcino with a high altitude. The refinement is carried out in French oak barriques.
Captivating on the nose and eloquent on the palate, it is a wine in which the intelligibility of the fruit immediately takes shape in a juicy and highly enjoyable sip. Definitely one of the best Brunello di Montalcino for freshness and enhancement of the floral character of Sangiovese.
Vigna del Drago 2018 – Val di Suga
Characteristics:
It opens delicately with complex notes of red currants, then articulating on nuances of undergrowth, goudron and cloves.
The palate confirms the sense of smell, with tannins of great compactness and silkiness and a finish of rare persistence. Aging in 30 hectolitre oval barrels for 24 months. This is followed by 6 months in a concrete tank.
The Vigna del Lago di Val di Suga is a wine with a vertical character of great freshness, an expression of the great typicality of the Sangiovese of the northern slope of Montalcino.
Vigna Marrucheto 2018 – Banfi
It opens in a riot of ripe dark berries that fade towards withered flowers, graphite and mentholated sensations. On the palate it spreads with soft tannins well balanced by the acid component that gives freshness and balance. Final of great persistence with echoes on fruity and spicy notes.
Fermentation at controlled temperature in combined Horizon steel and French oak vats and aging in 60 and 90 hl French oak barrels. for 30 months.
The Vigna Marrucheto di Banfi cru wine is astrong wine, with sophisticated aromas and great cleanliness on the palate.
Among the best Brunello di Montalcino for taste-olfactory versatility and balance. Interesting value for money.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Querce Bettina
Characteristics: Smells initially played on notes of black cherry, violet, blood orange embellished with more enigmatic hints of wild calamint and humus. On the palate it is voluminous and warm, with well-defined and compact tannins and great acidity which gives it smoothness.
Interesting sapidity and inexhaustible persistence in which the undisputed protagonist of the varietal character of Sangiovese resurfaces in its unmistakable aromatic eloquence and freshness.
Querce Bettina’s Brunello di Montalcino is among the best for its ability to combine richness and drinkability. Ideal for certain enthusiasts of an authentic and handcrafted product.
Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne 2018 – Donatella Cinelli Colombini
Description: On the nose it spreads intense notes of black cherry and blood orange peel followed by autumn spices and dried flowers. Well-defined tannins and pounding acidity that gives great freshness and drinkability. Good persistence on the varietal character.
Organic management and division of the vineyards into many small portions which were vinified separately in small 50 hl bare concrete vats to guarantee balance and harmony to the finished product.
Among the best Brunello di Montalcino for character and uniqueness. A large, eloquent and sensationally fragrant wine, created by an all-female team.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Lisini
Description:It spreads intense cherries, sour cherries and raspberries on a background of white chocolate and tobacco. In the mouth it is enveloping and sapid with a well-defined and silky tannin of great presence and a pressing acidity that creates harmony and cleanliness on the palate. Excellent persistence.
Lisini’s care for the winemaking process stems from the desire to make the most of the potential of the grapes. Manual harvest with selection of single bunches, controlled fermentation with daily chemical analyzes and spontaneous clarification without filtration.
A sublime interpretation that expresses the quintessence of Sangiovese’s potential. Definitely among the best Brunello di Montalcino for the very long finish in which the varietal fruit echoes.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Máté Winery
Description: It opens with floral notes of violets, violets and wild berries, well integrated with balsamic and bitter cocoa nuances. On the palate it envelops the mouth in an enveloping and sinuous, well-structured sip.
All the processes in the vineyard and in the cellar are meticulously done by hand. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature, using indigenous yeasts. A long aging in French oak barrels from 500 to 4000 liters follows.
A wine in which the nose, intriguing and multifaceted, is the prelude to an energetic and satisfying sip. With full rights among the best Brunello di Montalcino for great backbone and substance.
Brunello di Montalcino 2018 – Tenuta Buon Tempo
Description: The olfactory spectrum is interesting, articulated between registers of ripe red berries, pot-pourri of dried flowers, juniper berries, to relax on sweet and toasted woody tones. On the palate it reveals itself powerful with ripe sculptural tannins supported by a good acid backbone that favors drinkability. Great persistence with hints of fruit and spices.
Vinification in steel at controlled temperature and fermentation with indigenous yeasts. After a long aging in large 20 and 35hl Slavonian oak barrels and in 500 liter second passage French oak tonneaux, the wine is naturally clarified by decantation in steel.
A sumptuous and slender wine, with a long and satisfying sip. Among the best Brunello di Montalcino for depth and olfactory precision.
Food and Brunello di Montalcino pairings
Brunello di Montalcino, being endowed with a great tannic structure, is sensational when paired with succulent foods and seasoned with sauces, such as those with a brown background and demi-glace.
Definitely choosing Brunello di Montalcino food pairings that are territorial is an excellent solution. Examples of sensational Brunello di Montalcino food additions can be Wild Boar Scottiglia with Polenta, Duck Breast in Brunello sauce.
But for those who love cheeses, try the combination of Brunello di Montalcino with Pecorino di Pienza aged in Barriques, or Pappardelle or Pici with Wild Boar Ragù or a Brunello and Chianina Tartare with San Miniato White Truffle. To learn more, read the article dedicated to the pairing of food and Brunello di Montalcino.
Which are the best Brunello di Montalcino wines?
Which are the best Brunello di Montalcino wines? Choosing is a difficult undertaking, which however inevitably is subject to the limits of a subjective opinion, which as such, by definition, is deficient and arbitrary.
We have simply compiled a list of our favorite interpretations according to our evaluations. However, it remains essential to underline that wine is not born as a status symbol, to be exhibited or flaunted coram populo.
But to excite us and be shared in a genuine way with the people we love, binding ourselves to contingent situations and to the unrepeatable and intimate moments of our life.
Therefore, we invite you to visit wineries and get to know the producers who produce wines in their uniqueness, so that you can independently discover and choose the wine that can be counted for you among your personal favorite wines. If you have had the patience to read this far, thank you for your attention, but now is the time to fill the glasses and cut the distant hopes, and therefore:
Cheers, Salute, Santé
Jean Marco Palmieri
