Brunello di Montalcino

As one of the original estates of Montalcino and now the largest certified organic vineyard in Tuscany, Col d’Orcia is a leader in Brunello di Montalcino helping to define and promote one of Italy’s most prestigious wines. Tradition, integrity, and sustainability are the pillars of the estate, whose classic style wines are marked by balance and elegance. Col d’Orcia is considered a “traditional” producer of Brunello di Montalcino for its use of aging wine in large Slavonian oak barrels and for the prolonged periods in which the wines are aged. This process ensures that Sangiovese is the true star; the backbone to the wine’s structure and age-ability, rather than the oak.

The estate’s name translates to “the hill overlooking the Orcia River,” due to its position in between the undulating hills of the Orcia River and Sant’Angelo in Colle. Here, vineyards are comprised of limestone and marl soils. At 1,500 ft a.s.l., the estate is favorably positioned against Mount Amiata, which helps protect against floods and hail. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with limited rainfall coming in from the Tyrrhenian coast, 21 miles away. The 2017 season saw two challenging climatic occurances: a drought and a heat wave. 2016 ended very dry, which was exacerbated by a very hot summer the next year. A rainstorm in mid-August, and the ensuing lower temperatures at night, allowed the vineyard to ripen with limited production, thus delivering healthy grapes with considerable complexity in terms of aromas, elegant tannins and excellent natural acidity.

Manual harvest with rigorous selection of the best grapes in the vineyard and cellar. Temperature controlled 18–20-day fermentation in shallow, stainless-steel tanks designed to extract tannin and color efficiently but delicately. The wine is aged three years in 25, 50 and 75 hl Slavonian and Allier (French) oak casks, followed by one year refinement in bottle.

Pleasant fruity notes of black cherry and jam, followed by the classic hints of spices and vanilla. The profile is warm, with ripe and clear tannins. Intense and persistent, leading to a long finish.