2018 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany 750 ml

The 2018 Brunello vintage shifted gears more—and faster—than a driver at the Monaco Grand Prix.  

A wet winter and cool spring replenished the soils after a dry 2017, prompting vigorous growth. Then July heat hit the throttle on ripening, but brought a hailstorm that relieved some unlucky growers of a quarter of their fruit. With September serving up daily temperature changes—ideal for ripening Sangiovese—but a couple of rainy periods, the seasoned producers who stayed a millisecond ahead were rewarded with GORGEOUS wines. 

Count Altesino among them. Unlike the producers pining for an easy-street vintage like 2016, this icon turned in a performance that equaled that all-time great season, taking 95 points from James Suckling. Fragrant, intense, and elegant, this wine shows why we always taste Altesino with our checkbook at the ready. We can’t imagine a red-wine lover who won’t be thrilled to have at least a few bottles of it in the cellar.

Altesino is located in a 14th-century palazzo, but its history as a wine estate goes back just 50 years, making it a baby by Brunello di Montalcino standards. Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini acquired it in 2002, and since then, she and her winemaking team of Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci have staked out a position at the apex of the region, offering a modern and innovative take on one of Italy’s most beloved denominaziones. 

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is composed of grapes from their Altesino, Macina, Pianezzine, and Castelnuovo dell’Abate vineyards, and it brings an elite level of quality, critical acclaim, and collectibility. It’s always a must-buy Brunello, but the 2018 truly delivers.