Brunello di Montalcino

The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG has a whale-like shape: at its head, at 661 metres above sea level on ancient, stony galestro soils facing east and southeast lies the town of Montalcino, where the DOC was founded. As you follow the spine south towards the tail, the vineyards lose altitude – those around Colle Sant'Angelo are at 250 metres – while the soils become richer with iron and clay. Further east, in the shadow of the 1,734 metre Mont'Amiata lies the village of Castelnuovo dell'Abate where the vineyards are strewn with a rich mix of galestro, granitic, volcanic, clay and schist soil types.

While Brunello di Montalcino's climate is mildly Mediterranean, thanks to the sea being a mere 20 miles away, the elevation of the vineyards provides an important diurnal temperature variation (ie hot days and cool nights). This benefits the grapes by maintaining acidity levels and extending their ripening time. The howling tramontana wind can also play an important role in drying and concentrating the fruit. Historically, the zone is one of Tuscany's youngest.

First praised in 1550 by Leandro Alberti for the quality of its wines, it was Tenuta Il Greppo who bottled the inaugural Brunello di Montalcino in 1888. By 1929, the region had 925 hectares of vines and 1,243 hectares of mixed crops, while in 1932 it was decreed that only those wines made and bottled within the commune could be labelled as Brunello di Montalcino. Since then, the number of producersThe region’s vineyards stretch from the 661-meter-high town of Montalcino on stony galestro soils, south toward lower-altitude plots like Colle Sant’Angelo, with richer clay and iron soils. In the east, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate and Mont’Amiata, vineyards thrive on a mix of galestro, volcanic, clay, and schist soils.
Brunello di Montalcino’s climate is mildly Mediterranean, with a notable diurnal temperature swing that preserves acidity and extends ripening. The tramontana wind further concentrates the grapes, enhancing their structure and flavor.

Historically, Brunello di Montalcino wine was first praised in 1550, and the first modern bottling came from Tenuta Il Greppo in 1888. By the 1930s, laws restricted the Brunello label to wines made and bottled within Montalcino. Today, the region boasts over 230 producers and 12,000 hectares of vineyards.

The DOCG rules are strict: Brunello di Montalcino cannot be sold until five years after harvest (six for Riserva), with at least two years in oak and several months in bottle. Yields are limited to 55 hl/ha. Rosso di Montalcino is the younger, declassified version, released after just 18 months. has risen from 11 in 1960 to 230 in 2006, while over the same period the vineyards have expanded from 1,000 hectares to 12,000.