Why You'll Fall in Love with Siblings Brunello di Montalcino & Rosso di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino & Rosso di Montalcino wines
Love is a powerful force. Mountain-moving. Mysterious. A stand-in-the-rain-with-a-boombox-and-risk-making-a-fool-of-yourself life-altering emotional state that deserves to be celebrated with a wine just as mighty and full of heart. But there are all kinds of love and if Brunello di Montalcino is true love, its younger sibling Rosso di Montalcino might just be puppy love.
Brunello di Montalcino
Tuscany’s commanding Brunello di Montalcino is as powerful and structured as the greatest of romances. It’s made from the red grape Sangiovese, the region’s most planted variety which is also the charmer at the heart of a few other famed Tuscan reds—Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, among them. But while Chianti’s celebrated medium-bodied, high-tone reds and Vino Nobile’s richer, more plush versions are classics of the highest caliber, there’s something about the staying power of the wines of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG that speaks to the always-and-forever notion of true love.
Not only is there evidence that it was being made in Montalcino over 2,000 years ago, but the sheer tight, tannic nature of the grapes, born of the dryer climate of BdM, makes Brunello no speed-dater; it’s all about commitment. Commitment to being made from 100% Sangiovese grapes (it’s not open-relationship material) and commitment to time. By law, you can’t even sell it until it’s a minimum of 4 years old. The gripping, persistent tannins and brooding dark fruit flavors are made to linger long in the cellar. They need room to unravel, becoming more complex and knit over the years. And when you do open a bottle, it will not be rushed into anything—it demands that you take your time. Give it a good hour of decanting and you’ll be rewarded with a wine that unwinds itself and keeps changing as the moments tick by.
Rosso di Montalcino
There are different kinds of romance, though. The big, robust, long-lasting ones are the stuff of epic tales, but there’s also the charming, heart-fluttery crushes. And while they may not be meant for the super long haul, boy are they delicious while they last. Love-lite, if you will. If that’s more your situation or speed, wines of the Rosso di Montalcino DOC get to the heart of the matter a bit quicker. Like its big-boned sibling Brunello, RdM also must be made entirely from the Sangiovese grape (for context, the Chianti DOCG and its subzones call for a minimum of 70 to 80% Sangiovese, with varying other local and international grapes allowed in the mix—which is not better or worse, just different). With only a year of aging required by its DOC regulations and tendency toward using younger vines, that also means its personality veers more toward fresher and more youthful, and more often than not, offering the perception of bright red fruit as opposed to the dark fruit and highly tannic personality of Brunello.
Recommended Bottles
But it’s good to have choices, in life, love, and wine. With that in mind, here are a few Tuscan beauties that we love.
Col D’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino 2019 $24.99
This charming bottle of red kicks off with a pretty nose of crushed rose petals and has a medium-light body. Still, it offers a nice concentration of fruit, with notes of crushed blackberry and strawberry, and just a little bit of tartness on the lingering finish.
Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2012 $69.99
At 10 years old and 14.5% abv, this BdM could easily keep hanging out in your cellar, with its grip and strength. Give it a good amount of decanting time and you’ll be rewarded with layer upon layer of aromas and flavor. It’s surprisingly floral, with notes of geranium and violets, and loads of black cherry and cocoa. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with juicy, crunchy acidity and flavors of cherry, earth, and black tea, along with super grippy, tongue-smacking tannins.
Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2016 $70
The color is a bright, clear medium ruby hue, but the flavors are all dark fruit—blackberry and dried black cherries, with hints of licorice root and tarragon. It’s chewy and dense, with a just-right grainy dusting of grippy tannins and dried blackberry and tea-like finish.
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 2016 $74.99
This 14% abv red is a wine for a big, meaty meal. Give Banfi’s BdM time to open up and you’ll be treated to a wine that is dense and concentrated—brooding, if you will, with cigar-box aromatics and flavors of dried dark cherry and black plums, and firm chocolaty tannins that linger.
Banfi Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2019 $25.99
Similar to their Brunello, Banfi’s opaque, dark ruby hued RdM is all about the dark fruit—blackberries, black cherries, but with a pleasant little hit of juicy blueberry and crushed green peppercorns woven in. There’s a savoriness here, too, and its dense, tight and lingeringly tannic texture almost seem closer to a Brunello. On the finish, this medium-bodied beauty offers more dark fruit, zippy acidity, and a touch dark cocoa powder.
Tenute Silvio Nardi Rosso di Montalcino 2018 $29.99
This is a serious Rosso, with its deep ruby color and near black core, chock full of aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, and black tea, and a dry meaty finish, but a less challenging light dusting of tannins that keep it approachable and nimble at the table.
Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 2015 $59.99
This beauty of a Brunello shines like a gemstone in your glass, with its deep ruby color that fades to black at its center. It smells and tastes of ripe black cherries, fresh and dried blackberries, and dark bits of cocoa. Its structure is tightly wound still, and it benefits from decanting and glass-swirling, but there’s a surprising softness to its texture that balances nicely with its cross-the-tongue snap of solid tannins.