Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 2019
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Ruby-red with a garnet rim, this wine's bouquet displays ample aromas of violet, wild berries, tobacco, chocolate, and vanilla. On the palate, Altesino Brunello is rich, full-bodied, and velvety.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a rich ruby color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino offers an attractive nose of cherry candies, sweet herbs, polished leather, and orange oils. It moves seamlessly to the palate with equally harmonious structure and a great, long finish. Medium to full-bodied, it lasts for ages. This is one of those wines that’s going to have a very wide drinking window and is exceptional already. Drink 2026-2046.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a beautiful level of dark fruit that folds into the wine's velvety texture. Blackberry and plum envelop the palate, adding elegant full-bodied volume and fine tannins along the way. The wine is aged in traditional Slavonian casks, and production reaches 110,000 bottles annually (which is very ambitious considering this level of quality).
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Decanter
Altesino counts approximately 50 hectares throughout Montalcino’s northern and southern stretches. A compilation of diverse sites, the estate Brunello is among the denomination’s best values. If the Montosoli bottling is more solemn in tone, this 2019 is joyful and bright. Heady red currant and cherry mingle with plum and anise. The sumptuously fruited, plush palate is mouth filling yet agile. Sandy textured tannins envelop and caress while citrusy acidity lifts the whole. Already accessible, it has sufficient depth, concentration and backbone for a solid decade of enjoyment.
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James Suckling
A dark ruby color in the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a beguiling blend of dusty earth, crushed rocks, savory herbs and dried roses. This is racy and sleek, with vividly ripe wild berry fruits elevated by orange and sage, all guided by vibrant acidity. Grippy tannins take control through the finish, yet the mouth is left watering for more as a bitter licorice tinge and dark chocolate adds a crunchy sensation.
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Wine Spectator
Though solidly structured, this red displays macerated flavors of cherry, plum, earth and wild herbs, backed by vibrant acidity. A hint of chocolate graces the finish alongside dense tannins.
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Near the end of 2002, Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, owner of nearby Tenuta Caparzo, purchased the Altesino winery. Today's winemaking team, led by Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci, is firmly committed to maintaining Altesino’s hard-earned reputation as a Montalcino institution and a global leader in innovative winemaking. Amid the eastern hills of Montalcino near Siena in central Tuscany, stands the magnificently elegant 14th century-built Palazzo Altesi, home to the Altesino winery and a marvelous resort. The ancient coat of arms, carved in white Carrara marble, is still visible above the antique oak portal. The stunning Palazzo Altesi beautifully reflects Altesino’s charm and refinement. Though the worldwide reputation of Brunello has encouraged some conservatism among Montalcino estates, Altesino has always been a leader, unafraid of innovation. The estate pioneered the technique of aging its IGT wines in small French oak barrels, limiting the time spent in oak to enhance each wine’s personality. The resulting wines were a groundbreaking improvement over those produced by traditional methods. No longer overwhelmed by wood, they were able to display the unique characteristics of the fruit, with softened tannins and perfect balance. Not content to rest on its laurels, Altesino became the first Montalcino estate to introduce the concept of cru wines, made with a special selection of grapes from a single vineyard. Its Montosoli Brunello, named after the prestigious vineyard, was the first of these wines and is still considered among the regions finest. Altesino also pioneered the concept of Brunello futures (wine purchased before its release) with its 1985 vintage. This commitment to innovation led to many modern wines in the estates portfolio, including Alte d’Altesi, Palazzo Altesi and Rosso di Altesino. Elegance, finesse, and a fruitier, richer style are the trademarks of Altesino’s wines and have earned the estate a position among the very top producers of Brunello. This achievement is even more impressive considering Brunello is perhaps the most recognized Italian appellation.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.