2011 Collemattoni Brunello di Montalcino

Collemattoni has been in the Bucci family since 1798, when Giuseppe Bucci acquired property to the south of Montalcino. Today the 18-acre estate is farmed organically and is run by Marcello Bucci, along with his parents and uncle. The vineyards are divided into four specialized parcels, and the estate’s name comes from the Collemattoni vineyard, which is the family’s original parcel. The vineyard is relatively high, at about 1,300 feet above sea level, and its name means “brick hill,” a reference to its rich, reddish, rocky soil. Collemattoni’s cellar was completely renovated in 2012. Collemattoni produces Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, and several IGT wines, which are in the second level of the Italian wine classification system.

Brunello di Montalcino is regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is entirely Sangiovese. Montalcino itself is a picturesque, hill-top town not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine. Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.

Certified organic