Brunello di Montalcino Wine Guide: Region and Tasting Notes

Brunello di Montalcino is a red Italian wine from Montalcino, a commune in the province of Siena in the north of Italy. Located in the south of Tuscany, Montalcino is warmer with lower average annual rainfall than the rest of the region, which gives the area’s sangiovese grapes a longer window to ripen, resulting in wines that are rich, tannic, and full-bodied. (Grapes that need to be harvested early due to inclement weather tend to produce more acidic, light-bodied wines.)

Although many Tuscan wines are made with sangiovese (it’s the most widely planted variety in the country), Brunello di Montalcino is the only wine from the region that must be produced with 100 percent sangiovese grapes. Brunello is made with a specific clone of sangiovese known as sangiovese grosso (“large”) or brunello (“little brown”).

Brunello di Montalcino wines must age at least two years to receive Brunello di Montalcino DOCG status, though they are typically aged at least five (Brunello di Montalcino Normale) to six years (Brunello di Montalcino Riserva). After aging, the tannins become softer, which is why the best Brunellos are aged at least 10 years.

When producers age Brunello just one year, they can sell it as Brunello as Rosso di Montalcino DOC. In a poor vintage, Brunello di Montalcino producers might use their grapes to make Rosso di Montalcino, rather than invest in the years of aging that DOCG Brunello requires.

In the mid-1800s, landowners around the town of Montalcino began experimenting with grapes known locally as brunello, or “the small brown ones,” which produce wines that are especially rich. In 1865, winemaker Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated the particular Sangiovese clone that produced these special wines, and he called it Brunello di Montalcino.

Over a century later in 1980, the Montalcino region became one of the first Italian wine regions to receive DOCG status, along with Vino Nobile, Barolo, and Barbaresco. Initially produced by just a handful of small farmers, Brunello di Montalcino increased in popularity after achieving DOCG status. In 1996, the Sant’Antimo DOC was introduced to allow for the blending of Brunello with international varieties like cabernet sauvignon and pinot nero.

Every great wine starts with the grapes. Brunello di Montalcino is a varietal wine made from one individual grape variety: the brunello clone of sangiovese. Winemakers follow three broad steps to make Brunello di Montalcino.

• Growers select the grapes. This grape reaches its maximum potential when it grows on vineyards located on south and southwestern slopes.
• The grapes steep for 30 days. After the harvest, the grape juice steeps with the grape skins (macerated) for about 30 days, giving the wine a deep, dark color.
• The wine ages in barrels. Once producers remove the skins, the wine must age for at least two years. Producers age Brunello in one of two vessels: old Slavonian oak barrels (the traditional style) or new French oak barrels (a modern style). The contemporary style produces a more pronounced oak flavor with notes of vanilla.

Brunello di Montalcino wine is a full-bodied wine. Tasting notes include wild berry, licorice, star anise, and leather. Prolonged aging allows the harsh tannins of Brunello wines to develop, while its acidity means this wine pairs well with food. Try this expensive wine with a Tuscan steak.

Want to learn more about the culinary arts? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video lessons from master chefs and wine critics, including James Suckling, Lynnette Marrero, Ryan Chetiyawardana, Gabriela Cámara, Gordon Ramsay, Massimo Bottura, and more.