Generally considered as the highest expression of the Sangiovese grape, Brunello (the name for a local strain of Sangiovese otherwise known as Sangioveto Grosso) is grown on all sides of the hill upon which sits the town of Montalcino. Those grown on the northern flank tend to be more structured, while those from the southern slopes are slightly riper and softer.   More

Generally considered as the highest expression of the Sangiovese grape, Brunello (the name for a local strain of Sangiovese otherwise known as Sangioveto Grosso) is grown on all sides of the hill upon which sits the town of Montalcino. Those grown on the northern flank tend to be more structured, while those from the southern slopes are slightly riper and softer.

As elsewhere in Italy, here you'll encounter talk of "traditional" and "modern" schools of wine. At its best, Brunello in its "traditional" incarnation is a taut, muscular wine with a certain austere elegance, its fruit tending to run from dark cherry to something almost leather-like (less successful examples of this style often lack fruit and are perhaps not as "clean" as they should be). While the best "modern" versions are bright, vivid, concentrated expressions of Sangiovese, too often "modern" translates to thick, creamy, slathered with oak, and barely distinguishable from expensive Napa Cabernet.

A Brunello producer will typically also issue a Rosso di Montalcino, which can be a terrific value. Often the product of young vines, or perhaps from casks that didn't "make the cut" to be labeled as Brunello, these wines are also allowed to be released into the marketplace earlier than Brunello itself.   Less