Not many people can trace their ancestry back to the 1500s, let alone a wine producer whose family started producing wine that people nowadays drink and see as some of the best wines in the world. That being said, I recently tasted the 2010 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino, which is one of the original producers of Brunello and even was one of the original founders to call Montalcino wines by the term “Brunello.” 2010 was an epic vintage for Brunello di Montalcino and received rave reviews from wine critics.
In 1555, the Costanti family was given land in what is now Montalcino. It wasn’t until Tito Costanti in 1870, who was a lawyer at the time, presented his wines produced in 1865 and 1869 at a wine Exhibition of the Province of Siena and labeled them as Brunello that it became what the family was known for. In 1983, Andrea Costanti took over the property from his family and made the Costanti Brunellos what they are today.
This is one of those wines that I will always remember. It had everything. I’ve had Brunellos that are traditional and medium bodied, and I’ve also experienced ones that are more modern, big and rich. The 2010 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino fell somewhere in-between. It was big and rich, yet had structure and balance to it that did not make it feel overly lush. A perfect balance that will just let the wine age and become something amazing. It’s one of the top Brunellos from the historic 2010 vintage with a 97 point score from top critic, Antonio Galloni.
“Andrea Costanti’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous. The purity and translucence of Sangiovese comes through beautifully as the wine opens up. Refined, pedigreed and exceptionally beautiful, the Costanti pretty much embodies what 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is all about. Reference-point Brunello. It’s as simple as that.” - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media