2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli displays a rich red color and opens to a gorgeous perfume of cherry liqueur, polished leather, star anise, gravelly earth, and pressed flowers. Beautifully detailed, the palate has a medium to a full-bodied frame, with plush tannins, a perfectly harmonious structure, outstanding purity of concentrated ripe fruit, and a long finish. Lovers of this estate are not going to want to miss out on this one. Drink 2025-2045. Altesino’s modern history begins with Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, who purchased the estate in 2001 and at the same time purchased the Caparzo estate in the north of Montalcino. Altesino’s holdings include 50 hectares, 26 of which are reserved for Brunello production. Of their seven vineyard sites, Montosoli was the first to carry a vineyard designation in Montalcino, with its first vintage in 1975. Today they have seven vineyard sites, four in the south of the region, reaching as far as Castelnuovo dell’Abate, and three in the north. In 2006, they built a fully sustainable winery and are currently producing zero CO2 emissions. Fermentations occur in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with selected yeast before being transferred to large Slavonian oak up to 120 hl in size. The winery has two full-time winemakers, Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci. Elisabetta’s children, Alessandra and Ignio (aerospace and environmental engineers, respectively) both tend the estate, with Alessandra returning in 2017.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
From a beautiful site that must be seen to be believed, the Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is redolent with dark fruit, blackcurrant and crushed slate. The mineral element of Montosoli and its schistic galestro-rich soils comes through beautifully in this vintage to add a linear sense of immediacy and verticality to the bouquet. The mouthfeel is especially elegant, and the wine's acidity is delivered expertly to showcase freshness but more importantly to highlight the quality of the fruit. The effect is very tonic and bright, and you get hints of baked brioche or oven-baked Italian focaccia bread, thanks to careful aging in Slavonian oak. This is a 12,000-bottle release.
An enticing blend of steeped plums, blood orange, sage and sweet smoke makes the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli a total pleasure on the nose. Elegant and soothing, it flows across the palate with a silken wave of ripe red fruits and spices as saline minerals slowly saturate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 is seamless and harmonious, leaving a coating of edgy tannins to contend with a bump of refreshing acidity as suggestions of tart cranberry and a bitter tinge of clove slowly taper off. This is Montosoli terroir at its very best, and even at this early stage, it's impossible to resist pouring another glass. (EG)
Perfumed and beautiful with raspberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Purity like a mountain stream. Medium to full body with ultra-refined tannins that are so polished and beautiful. Goes on for minutes. Lovely and real.
About the producer
Altesino is one of the top producers in Brunello di Montalcino. The estate is famous for bottling the first separate Cru from the Montosoli hill, which has since become widely recognised for its distinct, elegant style of Brunello.