Wine Denomination from Tuscany
Brunello di Montalcino is a dry red wine from the hills around the town of Montalcino, south of Siena in Tuscany. It is made from 100% Sangiovese, the same grape as Chianti, but it is fuller, firmer and longer-lived. "Brunello" was the local name for Sangiovese here, and the grape was long called "Sangiovese Grosso"; today the rules simply say Sangiovese. The modern wine was shaped by the Biondi Santi family in the late 1800s. Brunello was one of Italy's first DOCGs, in 1980.
Brunello is always dry, with at least 12.5% alcohol and usually 14–15%. A young Brunello tastes of ripe and sour cherry, plum, violet and dried herbs, with firm tannins and high acidity. With age it develops notes of leather, tobacco, dried fruit, earth and balsamic spice. It is deeper and more powerful than Chianti Classico, and often compared with Barolo as one of Italy's two great age-worthy reds.
In the US, a Brunello from a good producer costs about $50–90. Single-vineyard bottles and Riserva usually cost about $90–200, and the most famous names, such as Biondi Santi's Riserva, sell for several hundred dollars. Brunello costs more than most Italian reds for three reasons:
- Small area: only about 2,100 hectares of vineyards can make Brunello.
- Long ageing: the wine cannot be sold until the fifth year after the harvest, so producers hold stock for years.
- High demand: Brunello is one of the most collected Italian wines, especially in the US.
Prices also depend on the vintage. Years praised by critics, such as 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2019, tend to cost more.
Rosso di Montalcino is made from the same 100% Sangiovese, in the same area and often by the same producers. The difference is ageing: Rosso can be sold from 1 September of the year after the harvest, with no oak required. It is fresher and fruitier, ready to drink young, and costs about $25–40. Many producers use it for younger vines or for grapes not chosen for Brunello. Good examples are the Rosso from Col d'Orcia, Caparzo, Fattoria dei Barbi and Biondi Santi.
There is no single best Brunello, but these Montalcino wineries are widely regarded as among the best:
- Traditional style (long ageing in large old casks): Biondi Santi, Poggio di Sotto, Il Marroneto, Cerbaiona, Fuligni, Canalicchio di Sopra and Fattoria dei Barbi.
- Richer, more modern style: Casanova di Neri, known for its Tenuta Nuova.
- Reliable and easy to find: Col d'Orcia, Banfi, Frescobaldi with its Castelgiocondo, Antinori with Pian delle Vigne, Argiano, Altesino, Caparzo, Mastrojanni and Uccelliera.
For a classic first bottle, try the Biondi Santi Il Greppo, Fuligni or Col d'Orcia. Our best Brunello di Montalcino wines guide lists more.
A Riserva must age one year longer than a normal Brunello and is released from the sixth year after the harvest. Producers make it only in good vintages, from their best grapes. Some estates also bottle a single vineyard, such as Altesino's Montosoli or Fattoria dei Barbi's Vigna del Fiore. The vineyard name appears on the label.
Montalcino is warmer and drier than the Chianti hills further north. Vineyards lie between about 120 and 600 meters around the hilltop town. Styles vary across the zone. The cooler north, with soils rich in galestro shale, gives more perfumed, elegant wines. The warmer south, around Sant'Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell'Abate, gives riper, fuller wines. Mount Amiata to the southeast shelters the area from storms.
Serve Brunello at 16–18°C (61–64°F). Use a large glass with a wide bowl that narrows at the top, such as a Bordeaux or large tulip glass. It gives the aromas room and softens the tannins. Open a young Brunello one to two hours before drinking, or decant it. Older bottles may have sediment, so stand them upright for a day and pour gently. Most Brunello drinks best between 8 and 20 years after the vintage, and great vintages last longer. See our guide to Italian wines to cellar.
Brunello needs rich, savory food. Classic pairings are bistecca alla fiorentina, roast or braised beef, wild boar stew, lamb, game birds and pasta with meat ragù or porcini mushrooms. It is also excellent with aged Pecorino and Parmigiano Reggiano. Rosso di Montalcino suits lighter dishes such as roast chicken, sausages and pizza.
Brunello di Montalcino is pronounced broo-NEL-loh dee mon-tahl-CHEE-noh.
Brunello is one of the great wines of Tuscany. Read our Tuscany wine guide for Chianti, Bolgheri and the region's other wines, our Sangiovese wine guide for more bottles from the same grape, or browse every Brunello in our catalog below.