BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG (ORGANIC)

Col d'Orcia is a traditional producer of Brunello di Montalcino. The choice to continue using large Slavonian oak barrels was made many years ago, long before the debate between modernist and traditionalist producers began. Tradition means respecting the essence of Sangiovese di Montalcino, or the wine's potential for aging and improvement through its long time in wood and subsequent refinement in the bottle. At Col d'Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino is aged for 3 years in large barrels before bottling, and the bottles are then kept in the cellar for at least 1 year before being released to the market.

Tasting notes: Ruby red colour with garnet reflections, the bouquet is large and complex. Delicate notes reminiscent of ripe small red fruits, such as cherry and blackberry, well integrated with woody notes and vanilla conferred by long ageing. The taste is full, full-bodied and balanced. Excellent structure, with an enveloping tannic texture that presages a fruity and persistent finish. The aftertaste, enhanced by a good flavour, recalls the olfactory components described above.

Provenance: Sant'Angelo in Colle, Montalcino, Siena province, in Tuscany. Hilly terrain with good southern exposure allowing sun throughout the day.

Weather conditions: Mild winter with minimum temperatures in January, followed by rain in the second half of February. Cool spring with precipitation. The months of June and July were sunny, with only a significant amount of rain. August with usual seasonal average temperatures. Thanks to the accumulated water reserves and temperatures that did not reach excessively high peaks, the foliage system remained almost intact and efficient. All this allowed for a slow and homogeneous ripening of the grapes, ideal for obtaining perfect phenolic and technological maturity.

Altitude: 300m a.m.s.l.

Grape varieties and harvest: 100% Sangiovese, particular clones, locally called Brunello. Manual harvest, with rigorous selection of the best bunches in the vineyard and then at the sorting table in the winery. Maximum yield foreseen in the production specification: 80 q/ha. Yield of the 2019 harvest: 69 q/ha.

Vintage: 2020

Vinification: Skin fermentation lasting 18 to 20 days, at a controlled temperature below 28° C, in low and wide 150 hl steel vats, specially designed to effectively but delicately extract tannins and colour. Aging for a period of 4 years, of which 32 months in Slavonian (Croatia) and Allier (France) oak barrels, with a capacity of 50 and 75 hl, followed by refinement in bottle for at least 6 months at controlled temperature.

Alcohol content: 14.5%

Total acidity: 5.8 g/l

Serving temperature: 18°C

Awards and distinctions:

• Luca Gardini: 95 points (2020 vintage)
• Luca Gardini: 97+ points (2019 vintage)
• Kerin O'Keefe: 96 points (2019 vintage)
• Robert Parker: 94 points (2019 and 2020 vintages)
• Wine Advocate: 94 points (2019 vintage)
• Vinous Antonio Galloni: 93 points (2019 and 2020 vintages)
• Wine Spectator: 94 points (2019 vintage)
• James Suckling: 93 points (2019 and 2020 vintages)
• Decanter: 94 points (2019 vintage)
• Jancis Robinson: 17.5 points (2019 vintage)
• Weinwisser: 17.5 points (2019 vintage)

Bright ruby red colour. Ripe blackberries, some undergrowth, dried oregano and clay on the nose. Great tension on the palate, juicy black fruit, well-intertwined tannins and a precise finish with pressure. FALSTAFF

Deep to dark ruby red in colour. Deep, moody and backward on the nose but with true precision. Lots of juicy red fruits and impressive, fine-grained tannins. Still a little embryonic, but already hard to resist. Pure class. JANCIS ROBINSON

Pure and refined wine with vibrant raspberries, red cherries, rosehip and a touch of citrus blossom. Medium to full-bodied, with firm yet silky tannins. Excellent acidic backbone. Enjoyable now, but wait two or three more years for it to develop. JAMES SUCKLING

The Col d'Orcia 2019 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG organic offers ripe fruit, blackberry, earthy notes, liquorice and, overall, a much larger and riper fruit profile compared to its peers. It offers a full-bodied opulence of Brunello that can be enjoyed in the short or medium term, and the wine delivers dried fruit flavours like plum and fig to finish. The tannins are velvety and contribute to the richness of the quite advanced and immediate palate. WINE ADVOCATE

The 2019 is immediately inviting and expressive. It seduces with beautiful notes of red rose, cherry and sweet thyme. Expansive and spacious, the palate unfolds fluidly with layers of delicious red plums and pomegranates. Hibiscus, rosewater and orange hide in every crevice. A brilliant demonstration of Sangiovese's tasty juiciness. Deceptively smooth at first, fine, gritty tannins build a worthy crescendo. DECANTER

(2019) Notes of marasca cherry, geranium and eucalyptus on the nose. On the palate, juicy tannins, balsamic and floral notes, compact and crisp flavour. LUCA GARDINI

(2020) From the Sant'Angelo in Colle region, a Brunello that, thanks to its balance, manages to combine irreproachable quality in a production of relevant size. Aromas of cherry, white pepper, a hint of porcelain and caramelized orange peel. Spicy tannins on the palate, red fruits, spices and persistence. LUCA GARDINI