2006 Altesino Brunello Montalcino Montosoli Brunello

2006 Altesino Brunello Montalcino Montosoli

96 JS

Featured Review

Perfumed and fruity, with dried cherries and citrus fruit. Wow. It really opens on the nose giving so much gorgeous fruit. Full body and very dense, with dried cherries, cedar and hints of coffee bean. Powerful and rich. Try it after 2015. James Suckling

James Suckling | 96 JS

This gorgeous wine opens with a big, bold aromatic bang, enormous depth, intensity and concentration. This is a massive Brunello on every front including aromatics. The tones of cherry, leather, tobacco, sweet spice and toasted nut are perfectly focused and bright.

Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Medium red. Cherry, nectarine and orange peel on the nose, lifted by flowers. Intensely flavored and penetrating, boasting terrific energy and purity to its reticent middle palate. Denser and chewier than the classico, but at the same time a bit more high-pitched and exotic. A wine of terrific focus and verve, finishing with palate-staining, reverberating length. I initially scored this a half step behind the regular bottling, but this really exploded after 72 hours in the recorked bottle, while magically retaining its freshness. Easily the best vintage since 1999 for this beautiful estate on the northern edge of the appellation.

Vinous Media | 94 VM

Sage, rosemary and tar aromas complement the sweet black cherry fruit in this red. Though supple and almost opulent, there's an elegance and freshness about this, too. The long aftertaste features spice and tobacco notes. Best from 2012 through 2024. 800 cases made, 160 cases imported.

Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli is a richer, deeper wine than the straight Brunello. The Montosoli presents a beautiful center of dark fruit, along with suggestions of grilled herbs, high-toned flowers, leather and licorice that add complexity. Despite the wine’s richness, the tannins are still a bit prominent, and need a few more years in bottle to soften. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

(Brunello di Montalcino “Montosoli”- Altesino) The single vineyard Montosoli Brunello from Altesino has long been one of my favorite bottlings from the region and the 2006 is again, very successful in the context of the vintage. I did not take a note on its octane level, but I am sure that it at least fourteen percent in this vintage, as the wine shows just a touch of heat and hints of overripeness on the backend. The bouquet however is very deep, pure and classic in its mélange of red and black cherries, smoke, fresh herb tones, a touch of chocolate, lovely soil tones and a deft touch of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and properly structured for a young Brunello, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm tannins and very good length and grip on the long finish. If it were not for the touch of overripeness poking out on the end, I would be very, very sanguine about the potential for this wine in the cellar. But I have had plenty of wines that showed just a touch of overripeness when young and which were decidedly pruney after I had cellared them for a decade, so I am not entirely sure how the 2006 Montosoli will evolve with bottle age. It is clearly too structured for drinking without some cellaring, and hopefully it will steer clear of pruniness as it ages. (Drink between 2017-2040).

John Gilman | 91-93 JG

Type of Wine	Brunello : As you indulge in some fine Brunello, and you gaze into the deep brown elixir, your tongue will almost pulsate with excitement, as rich flavors of black cherry, chocolate, black raspberry, and blackberry are woven together like a heartfelt poem. An earthy, leathery undertone provides excellent contrast next to all the fruit, rounding out the experience .
Varietal	Sangiovese : When it comes to Tuscan wine, Sangiovese is king. This mighty grape variety resides not only in Tuscany, but throughout Italy. The varietal is responsible for some of the greatest wines in the country, including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the infamous “Super Tuscans.” Sangiovese is extremely capable of adapting to the various climates and terroirs of Italy but is quite at home in Tuscany, where it is believed to have been birthed. Like most ancient grape varieties, there are many speculations about Sangiovese’s true time and place of origin. Some theories claim the Sangiovese grape dates back to the Etruscan era and cultivated mostly in Tuscany. Another theory is that it was cultivated by the ancient Romans. Sangiovese is believed to have been first documented in 1590 by agronomist, Gian Vettorio Soderini who talked about ‘Sanghiogeto” in an essay. There is no definitive evidence that ‘Sanghiogeto’ is the Sangiovese grape that is beloved and famous today; however, it is still considered by many to be the first appearance of the grape in written fashion. It wouldn’t be until the 18th century that Sangiovese would become well-known and started being planted all over the region. It was mentioned in l’Oenologia Toscana, written by Cosimo Villafranchi in 1773, in which he discussed the winemaking process of Chianti and the use of Sangiovese. Today, Sangiovese accounts for 10% of all winemaking grapes planted in Italy. This statistic may not seem significant but taken into consideration there are 350 authorized grape varieties across 20 wine regions, it is quite remarkable. Due to its versatility, Sangiovese is one of the most diverse grape varieties used in winemaking. However, the grape can be temperamental and sensitive to the environment in which it is planted. It is very much similar to the Pinot Noir in this fashion. Wines made with Sangiovese grapes can turn out tasting extremely different, based on climate, terroir and process. While the varietal can successfully grow most places, it tends to grow best in hot, dry climates with terroir composed mostly of shallow, limestone soils. Famously native to Tuscany but Sangiovese also grows in many other winemaking locations in Italy, such as Umbria in Central Italy, Campania in the South and Romagna where the grape is known as Sangiovese di Romagna. There are approximately 71,000 hectares of Sangiovese covering the earth’s surface, 62,725 of which reside in Italy (mostly Tuscany). Outside Italy, Sangiovese has grown quite popular in many winegrowing regions around the world, including the French Island of Corsica, where it ranks 2nd among all Sangiovese growing localities. It was introduced to Argentina in the late 19th century by Italian immigrants and remains successful in the region of Mendoza. Although Sangiovese was brought to America in the 1880’s, it was unpopular until the 1980’s when “Super Tuscans” caused a re-emergence of the grape in Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast. Sangiovese has also gained popularity in Barossa Valley in Southern Australia. The thin skinned, medium sized, blue-black berries of Sangiovese produce medium to full bodied, dry and highly acidic wines with fruity and savory flavors of plum, cherry, licorice, leather, tobacco and dust. Sangiovese may be synonymous with Brunello, and vice-versa, but the world of Sangiovese is far more intricate than a single wine, a single village, hillside town or designated area of control. It is the exclusive varietal and shining star in Brunello di Montalcino and provides the backbone for Chianti and many of the great Italian wines, and has gained an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s great grape varietals.
Country	Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France. Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate. The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned. The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market. With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
Region	Tuscany : Italian culture worships the concept of a shared meal, and their wines scream for a chance to be uncorked with your friends and family. The region's Mediterranean climate and hilly landscape combine to create a beautiful viticultural environment, where every chosen grape is brought to its full potential and transmuted into drinks worthy of gods. The vineyards are planted along the higher reaches of the hill slopes, creating a gorgeous view of the Italian landscape. Once your lips kiss the wine, you're sent spiraling down a veritable whirlpool of pure flavor, touching upon notes of sensuous cherry, nuts, floral hints and undertones of honey and minerals. The wines can be as sweet as a fresh summer romance, and carry an air of dignity and elegance about them that can stimulate your intellect for months as you contemplate the seemingly infinite intricacies and details in the texture. Tuscany is an important part of Italian viticulture, and sampling their wines is the closest you can get to visiting this heavenly region and experiencing the culture.