1999 Tenuta Carlina Brunello di Montalcino La Togata Riserva

La Tenuta Carlina is in Montalcino, Tuscany. It was established in 1991 by Danilo Tonon, a Roman lawyer who also wanted to make wine. La Tenuta Carlina, which over time seems to be changing its name and labels to La Togata, now includes 55 acres of vineyards and an updated cellar. It produces about 90,000 bottles a year, mostly of its flagship wine, Brunello di Montalcino. Its Brunellos have won 3 Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine journal.

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.