2012 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is sold out.

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Decanter’s Top 2012 Brunello

Wine Bottle
  • 96 pts Decanter
    96 pts Decanter
  • 95 pts James Suckling
    95 pts JS
  • 95 pts Wine Enthusiast
    95 pts WE
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2012 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 750 ml

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Shipping included on orders $150+.
  • Curated by unrivaled experts
  • Choose your delivery date
  • Temperature controlled shipping options
  • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

“A Real Grand Cru” in Brunello di Montalcino

“A Real Grand Cru” in Brunello di Montalcino

One wine completely stole the show on Decanter’s 2012 Honor Roll for Brunello di Montalcino: the vibrant, velvet-textured Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino. Not only did this ruby red brooding Tuscan release win the highest score with 96 points—it’s also a stunning value at $64.99, coming in well under half the price of the top competition like Salvioni Cerbaiola ($161) and Fattoria Poggio di Sotto ($200). The critical acclaim didn’t stop there either: both James Suckling and Wine Enthusiast rated this bottle 95 points, with Suckling declaring it “delicious, solid and harmonious wine.” The last two times we managed to secure an allocation from our friends Maria and Roberto at Fuligni, the wine sold out almost immediately. Now perfectly aged, the tannins unwinding to show the full power and harmony of the historically great 2012 vintage, these cases might be the quickest to go.

The Fuligni estate lies high above the hills of Cotimelli at elevations of up to 1,480 feet. On the slopes below descend a patchwork of forests, fields, and vineyards bordered by narrow roads. We remember well the first time we visited, entering via a gravel path passing between two Etruscan-style vases to the winery stairs, dotted with pots of bright, colorful flowers. Tasting back vintages alongside proprietors Maria and Roberto Fuligni in the 16th century cellar, a candelabra lit and flickering on the table beside massive Slavonian oak barrels, we had the distinct sensation of having time-traveled and stumbled upon the very essence of Brunello.

While the property’s historic buildings will occupy architecture nerds for hours, for the wine drinker the real beauty lies in the vineyards. Vinous’s Antonio Galloni has written that “Fuligni remains among the top estates in Montalcino…farming Sangiovese vines that grow in what is a real grand cru section.” Perhaps most impressive story is their size—or better said, the lack thereof. While other Montalcino estates seemingly try to stretch their vines to infinity, Fuligni’s vineyards occupy a tidy 25 acres of Cottimelli hillsides, where they’re ensconced in rocky marl. Low levels of organic compounds in the soil translate into lower yields, which are also tightly controlled by vine age (up to 30 years), density, and green harvesting.

This challenging terrain yields teensy amounts of hand-picked Sangiovese, roughly 2.5 tons per acre—just enough fruit to provide the age-worthy 2012 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG with the character to make it a critical darling. Heralded as a “rockstar” vintage by James Suckling, the critic compared 2012 to the region’s legendary 2010 and 2004 vintages, sharing their extraordinary harmony and depth. Today on Wine Access, the brightest light of the bunch from Brunello, for half the price of the competition.