2013 San Polino Brunello Di Montalcino Helichrysum

San Polino is a tiny, family-run winery in the hills of Montalcino. With only nine acres of vineyards, the estate makes about 10,000 bottles annually of Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino. It was established in 1999, when Luigi Fabbro planted grapevines and started farming according to biodynamic principles. Fabbro’s background before winemaking including work in biodiversity mapping in Brazil, and he has brought his knowledge about biodiversity and natural farming methods to San Polino. Gambero Rosso is impressed. In 2014 the journal wrote this: “We’re certain that in the near future a lot more people will be talking about the wines and ideas of San Polino…. This young business is growing exponentially… (and makes) Brunellos that are impossible to categorize stylistically…The entire selection of Brunello di San Polino wines was brilliant.”

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.