2009 Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino

Collosorbo was founded in 1995 when Giovanna Ciacci inherited part of Tenuta di Sesta, a farm and wine estate that had been in the Ciacci family since 1850. Giovanna’s father Giuseppe had bottled the first of Tenuta di Sesta’s commercially sold Brunellos in 1966, and Giovanna grew up learning about farming and winemaking. Today Giovanna shares the estate’s operation with her daughters Laura and Lucia, who both graduated from the University of Florence in viticulture and agronomy. Collosorbo makes well-reviewed Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino, as well as several red blends.

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.