Acclaim

Made with 100% Pinot Nero and packaged in a unique, square-bottomed bottle, this lovely sparkling rosato offers alluring scents of red woodland berry, botanical herb and brioche. Dry and tangy, the elegant palate features juicy pomegranate, red cherry and baking spice alongside a hint of orange drop. Bright acidity and a refined perlage provide balance and elegance. ” -Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, Feb. 2022

Andrea Costanti has crafted an appetising and characterful 2017, expressive without being over-exuberant or pushed. He reports doing more extraction than usual, with extended post-fermentation macerations as skins were thick and healthy. The tannins are textured and gritty without being green or bitter. While this doesn’t have the profoundness of 2016 or the silkiness of 2015 there is much charm in its vigour. Polished wood, subtle smoke, plum and bay leaf emerge from a backdrop of dry, dusty earth while concentrated acidity keeps it vibrant. One of the stars of the vintage.” -Michaela Morris, Decanter, Jan. 2022

At 420 metres in Montalcino’s northeast, the Fuligni estate expands over 100 hectares, 14 of which are vineyards. Location provided some reprieve from the heat in 2017 and harvesting for Brunello began in mid-September. When I tasted this in September 2021, just three months after bottling, it was still very closed in its aromas. With coaxing, exotic suggestions of curry and anise surfaced furtively and eventually intrinsic ripeness became apparent. Nevertheless, the fruit remains fresh rather than macerated. A full and vigorous expression with grainy tannins that stretch out across the palate.” -Michaela Morris, Decanter, Jan. 2022

The 2019 Rosso di Montalcino is deep, primary and full of character. Here I’m finding a seductive bouquet of black raspberry preserves complemented by nuances of clove, allspice and candied ginger. Its textures are silky and pliant, displaying much more weight than you’d expect from a Rosso, which is balanced by a core of bright acidity. Rich red and hints of blue fruit prevail, lasting throughout the incredibly long and floral tinged finale, where a coating of sweet tannin lingers. As good as this is today, it will be even better in another year and easily excel over short-term cellaring. There were only 10,000 bottles produced of the 2019, which is about half of what was bottled in 2018. Don’t miss it!. Drinking window: 2022 – 2029 — Eric Guido

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino pulls you close to the glass with a captivating bouquet of rich plum and strawberry preserves, complemented by autumnal spices and a whiff of shaved cedar. Its 15 years of maturity has softened the blow of the aggressive tannins that once dominated this wine, now revealing an array of ripe wild berries, sour citrus and exotic florals that both soothe and stimulate the palate. It’s still lightly structured and working its way up to the peak of maturity, at this time creating a perfect frame for the beautiful fruit found within. This remains persistent yet fresh, resonating on nuances of licorice and hints of red currant. Readers will enjoy the 2006 for many years to come. – Eric Guido

Deep, dark, brooding and incredibly rich, the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva lifts up from the glass. There are depths of rich dark fruits and spices to work through here as it continues to blossom, nuances of candied citrus offsetting leather strap and hints of smoke. It’s silky-smooth and opulent in feel, yet offers bright acidity and tart red and black berries to balance. Inner florals and hints of balsam herbs arch across the palate, above a coating of saline-minerality and slow-building tannins. This tapers off structured yet incredibly long, energized by a flourish of spicy citrus and lasting florality. The 2012 may not be the longest-lived Costanti Riserva, but it will excel over the medium term and is just short of entering a beautiful drinking window. – Eric Guido

The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva received an official “wow” from the moment I put my nose to the glass. Here I’m finding a beguiling bouquet of crushed black cherries and mint, mixed with cinnamon and grilled sage. There’s a cool-toned feel to the silky, medium-bodied textures, and a fruit profile that is still quite dense and tightly wound, with mineral-tinged red berries and savory spices cascading across the palate. What remains is a wall of heroic structure, yet also a pleasant inner sweetness and residual acids to balance. The 2010 has many years of development ahead of it, not quite ready to reveal its charms, but like a bomb just waiting to explode. – Eric Guido

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows cherry and plum sauce, lifted by sweet sage and mint, yet still quite rich and intense. With time, it dips down to earth with a mix of flowery undergrowth and wet stone. It’s velvety and weighty, yet a core of stimulating acidity and inner spice saturates the palate as dark red fruits penetrate deeply. Though still lightly structured, the 2007 is drinking beautifully today, showing only a hint of its maturity through a nuance of crushed fall leaves. A resonating note of licorice lingers incredibly long. – Eric Guido