A Guide to the Best Brunello di Montalcino Wines

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Brunello di Montalcino is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino located about 70 miles southwest of Florence in the Tuscany wine region. Brunello, roughly translated as “nice dark one” in the local dialect, is the unofficial name of the clone of Sangiovese grown in the Montalcino region.

In 1980, the wine was awarded the first Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) designation and today is one of the Italy’s best-known and most expensive wines.

Here is a list of a few of the best varieties of Brunello di Montalcino:

1. Castello di Banfi, Tuscany 1999. A reserved nose leaning more towards earth rather than fruit, and then there are flavors of bright red and black cherry, tar, earth and even more beautiful, ripe fruit through the long finish.
2. Campogiovanni, Tuscany 1998. There are aromas of truffle and freshly tilled earth, then flavors of earthy black cherry throughout the long, ripe length.
3. Capanna, Tuscany 1999. There are aromas of complex black fruit and mineral, then flavors of complex ripe fruits.
4. Casanuova delle Cerbaie, Tuscany 1999. Pleasing aromas of red fruit and subtle menthol are followed by flavors of concentrated red fruit with long length and complexity.
5. Castelgiocondo, Tuscany 1999. There is an intense nose of spice, concentrated fruit and subtle tar, then flavors of ripe red fruit, pommegranite, and subtle earth.
6. Castello di Camigliano, Tuscany 1999. Made up of concentrated red fruit flavors with a pleasant but unusual nuance, almost like ripe tomato.
7. Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, Tuscany 1999. This red is packed with jammy, red fruit and is very approachable for such a young vintage.
8. Collosorbo, Tuscany 1998. With red fruit and briar-like flavors, this red is very ripe and approachable.
9. Gorelli Le Potazzine, Tuscany. Earth ladened aromas with delicate black fruit, then flavors of concentrated red fruit with mineral notes and good length.
10. Fattoi, Tuscany 1999. With earthy aromas and then flavors of bright red cherry, this red wine is concentrated and very approachable.
11. Pian delle Vigne, Tuscany 1999. Vibrant flavors of black fruit and anise are laced with mineral and more concentrated fruit in the long length.
12. Fastelli, Tuscany 1999. Elegant red fruit flavors along with mulberry, subtle and earthy tar, as well as complex black fruit in the long finish.
13. Solaria, Tuscany 1999. Consists of bright red fruit flavors; Red cherry, cranberry and sort of sour strawberry hints are in this complex and ripe Brunello.
14. Tenute Sulvio Nardi, Tuscany 1999. There are inviting aromas of subtle fruit and freshly tilled soil, then flavors of concentrated red and black fruit, truffle and mineral in the long, complex length.
15. Tenute Sulvio Nardi “Manachiara”, Tuscany. There are powerful flavors of black cherry, currant, mulberry and freshly tilled earth in the velvet hammer of a Brunello.

Red wine enthusiasts owe it to themselves to visit the region where Brunello di Montalcino is made. It provides an excellent opportunity to regal the triumph of Tuscan wine tradition and genius.

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