Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi), Brunello di Montalcino, 2015

Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi), Brunello di Montalcino, 2015

  • icon-type Type

    Red

  • icon-year Year

    2015

  • icon-style Style

    Dry

  • icon-country Country

    Italy

  • icon-alcohollevel Alcohol level

    14.5%

  • icon-grapevariety Grape variety
    Sangiovese 100%
  • Rating

    JS 100

CastelGiocondo’s unique location in Montalcino, with its varied exposure and terrain – galestro, clay and Pleocene sands – offers infinite nuances to this Brunello. A multi-faceted experience that evolves over time and entices us to discover, taste and remember, again and again.

The CastelGiocondo Sangiovese vines sprouted in the first week of April and continued to grow well, taking advantage of the abundant water reserves left over from 2014 and the normal levels of rain that fell in winter 2015. During the spring and early summer seasons, the weather was dry and sunny, supporting the even growth of the vines. July was very warm and dry with temperatures 5°C higher than the norm. Thanks to our established agronomic practices, such as tilling the land in autumn, green manure sowing and canopy management, the vines were not overly affected by the high July temperatures. In the first week of August, two significant rain showers brought some respite for the plants, reducing temperatures and allowing aromas, anthocyanins and essential tannins to condense.

The great care taken in the vineyard, together with the typical characteristics of this unmistakable terroir, resulted in an outstanding harvest. The Sangiovese grapes were picked by hand and carefully selected after arriving in the cellar. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature with frequent pump-overs, particularly during the early stages. The wine was then aged in wood containers, where it was able to mature, ripen and develop balance. Five years after the grapes were picked, and only after another period spent ageing in the bottle, CastelGiocondo Brunello is now ready to be placed on the market.

Brunello CastelGiocondo 2015 first appeals to the eye with its bright, rich ruby-red hue. On the nose, fruity notes dominate, ranging from raspberry to blackcurrant, with vague hints of blueberry. Elegant floral notes emerge, offering striking and surprising scents of violet. Spicy tertiary notes are then released, due to the lengthy ageing process. Cinnamon, pepper and leather combine in an experience of extreme elegance, finishing on a balsamic note. The wine envelops the mouth completely and impresses with its balance, its dense tannic texture and its minerality, as well as its long, persistent finish.

About Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi)

To the south-west of Montalcino, Tenuta CastelGiocondo is situated at an altitude of around 300 metres, an ideal terroir for the production of Sangiovese.

The ideal altitude, excellent solar exposure and well-drained soils enhance the wines of CastelGiocondo which are distinguished for their potency and extraordinary longevity.

The village of Castelgiocondo overlooks the historic estate of the Frescobaldis in Montalcino: an ancient stronghold built in 1100 to defend the road leading from the sea to Siena. The property is one of the first 4 to begin producing Brunello di Montalcino in 1800, and its historic importance is represented on the label of Castelgiocondo by the figure of a candottiere from a celebrated fresco of the Sienese artist Simone Martini. The artist’s depiction shows Guidoriccio da Fogliano, commander of the troops of Siena who in 1323 led the attack on the Montemassi castle; an historic moment that coincided with the initiation of the Frescobaldi family’s centuries-old adventure in the world of wine.

Grape variety
Sangiovese

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jupiter". Though it is the grape of most of central Italy from Romagna down to Tuscany, Campania and Sicily, outside Italy it is most famous as the only component of Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino and the main component of the blends Chianti, Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano, although it can also be used to make varietal wines such as Sangiovese di Romagna and the modern "Super Tuscan" wines like Tignanello.

Sangiovese was already well known by the 16th century. Recent DNA profiling by José Vouillamoz of the Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige suggests that Sangiovese's ancestors are Ciliegiolo and Calabrese Montenuovo. The former is well known as an ancient variety in Tuscany, the latter is an almost-extinct relic from the Calabria, the toe of Italy. At least fourteen Sangiovese clones exist, of which Brunello is one of the best regarded. An attempt to classify the clones into Sangiovese grosso (including Brunello) and Sangiovese piccolo families has gained little evidential support.

Young Sangiovese has fresh fruity flavours of strawberry and a little spiciness, but it readily takes on oaky, even tarry, flavours when aged in barrels. While not as aromatic as other red wine varieties such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, Sangiovese often has a flavour profile of sour red cherries with earthy aromas and tea leaf notes. Wines made from Sangiovese usually have medium-plus tannins and high acidity.

The high acidity and light body characteristics of the Sangiovese grape can present a problem for winemaking. The grape also lacks some of the colour-creating phenolic compounds known as acylated anthocyanins. Modern winemakers have devised many techniques trying to find ways to add body and texture to Sangiovese - ranging from using grapes that come from extremely low yielding vines, to adjusting the temperature and length of fermentation and employing extensive oak treatment. One historical technique is the blending of other grape varieties with Sangiovese, in order to complement its attractive qualities and fill in the gaps of some of its weaker points. The Sangiovese-based wines of Chianti have a long tradition of liberally employed blending partners—such as Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Mammolo, Colorino and even the white wine grapes like Trebbiano and Malvasia. Since the late 20th century, Bordeaux grapes, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, have been a favoured blending partner though in many Italian DOC/DOCG regions there is often a maximum limit on the amount of other varietals that can be blended with Sangiovese; in Chianti the limit for Cabernet is 15%.

Other techniques used to improve the quality of Sangiovese include extending the maceration period from 7–12 days to 3–4 weeks to give the must more time to leach vital phenols out of the grape skins. Transferring the wine during fermentation into new oak barrels for malolactic fermentation gives greater polymerisation of the tannins and contributes to a softer, rounder mouthfeel. Additionally, Sangiovese has shown itself to be a "sponge" for soaking up sweet vanilla and other oak compounds from the barrel. For aging the wine, some modern producers will utilize new French oak barrels but there is a tradition of using large, used oak botti barrels that hold five to six hectolitres of wine. Some traditional producers still use the old chestnut barrels in their cellars.

Alternative Names: Nielluccio, Sangioveto, Sangiovese Grosso, Sangiovese Piccolo, Brunello, Prugnolo Gentile, Morellino

About Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's most famous and prestigious wines. In Tuscany, its homeland, it perhaps ranks alongside Chianti Classico. On global markets it seems to command even greater attention.

The wine is typically garnet in colour with aromas of red and black fruit with underlying vanilla and spice, and perhaps a hint of earthiness. The wines are usually full bodied with alcohol levels around 14 or 15 percent abv. Good tannic structure and bright acidity provides balance.

All Brunello di Montalcino wine is made exclusively from Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown on the slopes around Montalcino – a classic Tuscan hilltop village 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Siena. Sangiovese Grosso is the large-berried form of Sangiovese. Its name here translates roughly as 'little dark one'. The use of this synonym and its inclusion in the name of the wine was part of a clear strategy to differentiate the wine from Chianti.

The first recordings of red wines from Montalcino date back to the early 14th Century. However the all-Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino style we know today did not emerge until the 1870s, just after the creation of a single Italian state. Its evolution was due in no small part to the efforts of Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, whose name lives on in one of Montalcino's finest estates.

Traditional Brunello di Montalcino winemaking methods involve long aging in large vats, typically made from Slavonian oak. This results in particularly complex wines, although some consider this style too tannic and dry. Modernists began to pursue a 'fruitier' style in the 1980s, when they began to shorten the barrel maturation time and use smaller 225 litre French oak barriques.

DOCG regulations require Brunello vineyards to be planted on hills with good sun exposure, at altitudes not surpassing 600 meters (1968ft). This limit is intended to ensure the grapes reach optimal ripeness and flavour before being harvested. Any higher than 600m and the mesoclimate becomes cooler to the point of unreliability.

According to the disciplinare di produzione (the legal document laying out the wine's production laws) for Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello must be made from 100 percent Sangiovese and aged for at least four years (five for riserva wines). Two of these years must be spent in oak, and the wine must be bottled at least four months prior to commercial release.

The "junior" version of Brunello is the Rosso di Montalcino appellation. Fruit from young vines in Brunello vineyards might be used, or perhaps vineyard plots which catch less sun. These wines are designed to be more approachable when young and aging requirements are greatly lowered.

Some producers in Montalcino make small amounts red and white wine under the IGT Toscana designation. The reds usually feature Bordeaux grape varieties from a few well established plots.

Regular price $548.00

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