“Welcome to Montalcino” – the enoteca sign hangs in perfect view to greet new visitors to this enoteca wine shop just outside of town. It doesn’t take long to understand that this wine-lover’s paradise is just steps away. The sweet rolling hills of Siena that let out onto the long cypress-lined farm roads take you straight to Maremma, home to some of the most prestigious Tuscan wines. One of the most notable Tuscan wines of all comes from the Sangiovese Grosso grape variety, and most notably is the Brunello.
The Brunello name dates back to the 19th century. Up until 1879, the Province of Siena’s Commission of Ampelography declared an overlap between the Brunello and Sangiovese grapes, making them practically the same grape. The name Brunello nonetheless stuck and with it grew the legend, which Brunello has become over the last 100 years.
The great labels which have created the famed “Made in Italy” brand derive all the way back to Medieval times. Documentation has been found from the 17th century where Leandro Alberti mentions lists of “good wines which come from the pleasant hills”. Two centuries later, Brunello begins to grow not only in quality but in popularity as well. The 20th century marked a notable moment for this noble wine, when Brunello was awarded best Italian wine of 1910 at the Franco-Italian Expo in Rome. To this day, Brunello producers strive to surpass existing excellence and quality especially that of the vintage 2010 year which most consider as a memorable Sangiovese harvest.
Wine reviews for the 2010 harvest attest to its greatness. Wine Spectator rated it 100/100. Renowned wine critics such as Monica Larner of Wine Enthusiast and enologist James Suckling also agree.
Percentuale simile a quella rilevata sul mercato estero e sull’export, dove i dati riferiti allo stesso periodo parlano di un +17 percento da portare felicemente a casa. Insomma: il futuro del Brunello sembra trarre linfa proprio dal suo glorioso passato, in attesa di nuove conferme nuove vendemmie.
It doesn’t take an expert to understand the greatness of a fine wine. According to ISMEA (Institute for Agriculture and Food Services), the first trimester of 2015 consumer trends show a significant increase in sales of red DOC and DOCG wines. The Brunello has seen a 20% increase in comparison to sales of 2014. International sales saw a similar increase as well, with a growth of over 17%.
Bottom line is Brunello is a wine with both history and future.
