Here’s what you need to know about Brunello di Montalcino

About an hour’s drive south of Siena in Tuscany is the small Italian village of Montalcino, the heart of the famous Italian wine region Brunello di Montalcino. From 1865 until the Second World War, there was only one winery owned by the Biondi-Santi family, which bottled wines that were little known at the time.

Currently, about 250 producers cultivate 2,100 hectares of vineyards and export 70 to 80 percent of their wines. After Germany and the USA, Switzerland is the third largest buyer of Brunello di Montalcino in the world. Famous Italian red wines have enjoyed great popularity in this country for generations.

This is behind Brunello di Montalcino.

Brunello di Montalcino is a special red wine that must be made from 100 percent Sangiovese black grape variety. By the way, Sangiovese is the same grape variety that makes up most Chianti wines. The legally permissible maximum yield of 54 hectoliters per hectare is relatively low by Italian standards, which has a positive effect on the concentration and quality of the grapes.

Another feature of Brunello di Montalcino wines is the legally prescribed minimum storage period before the wines are put on the market. Brunello di Montalcino can be sold five years after harvest from 1 January at the earliest and must have been stored in wooden barrels for at least two years. Riserva wines should be stored for longer than one year before being sold.

The relatively low yield combined with long storage in wooden barrels and bottles provides strong, concentrated red wines with a high alcohol content. Its aroma profile is characterized by intense cherries with high acidity and plenty of tannins, so wines are often ideal for keeping in more bottles. Since wines are already stored for several years by the time they are sold, the first notes of aging are often added, such as earth, leather or dried spices.

Brunello di Montalcino wines are ideal dinner companions and go well with truffle risotto, braised wild boar, duck or guinea fowl, as well as hearty roast pork or veal. Strong red wines can also compete with very spicy, peppery foods. Older, softer wines also pair well with a new cheese plate. The best specimens have the potential to mature over several decades.