San Polo Brunello di Montalcino

This property was purchased by Marilisa Allegrini in 2006. Marilisa has continued to invest heavily in the estate, and this investment is now evident in the ever-increasing quality of the wines. Situated in the eastern part of Montalcino, this estate covers 22 hectares of which 16 are under vine, and produces wines that are classic in style, but with a bit more weight than is found in wines made to the north of the zone.

The Brunello is a fine example of the modern style: rich and cedary with fine-grained tannins and excellent length. The Riserva is a step up in quality and an illustration that the wines can be considered part of the premier league of Brunello producers. The Rosso is delicious, and offers fantastic depth for the price. The perfumed Rubio is made from a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 2017 is the first vintage certified organic at San Polo.

Sangiovese,

The grapes for this wine come from vineyards covering approximately eight hectares, planted between 1990 and 2000. They are situated at an altitude of 450 metres above sea level, facing south-southwest on chalky, clay soils. They are spur-cordon trained with a density of 4,000-7,000 plants per hectare.

The winter in 2017 was mild and very dry, as was the spring. This let to bud-burst occurring about two weeks earlier than normal. Frost in April luckily did not damage the vines as the location, altitude and southern-exposure of the San Polo vineyards alleviated this. Summer was marked by elevated temperatures and almost no rainfall, which created difficult conditions for the vines, although they did not show any symptoms of drought or heat-related stress.

The grapes were hand picked into 17 kilogram crates towards the end of September. Once at the winery, the berries were selected and softly crushed. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled concrete tanks for up to 22 days with temperatures reaching a maximum of 28-30°C. The wine was then aged for 30 months in a mixture or 10, 20 and 40 hectolitre oak casks. This was followed by a period of at least six months in bottle before release.

In the glass, this Brunello has an intense ruby red colour with garnet hues. The typical aromas of violets and red berries are followed by hints of vanilla, cedar and coffee. On the palate, it is full-bodied and warm with a densely-woven texture and robust tannins, while the finish is persistent and rounded.