Vignavecchia
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Made only in select vintages, this is the estate’s smallest and most prized cru. Produced from a tiny, west-facing, 2-hectare (5 acres) vineyard planted on a steep hill in 1988, this is the winery’s oldest and most prized vineyard block.
Climate trend
The 2019 vintage turned out to be a patchy and inconsistent year from beginning to end, starting with early growth and ending with a late harvest. Due to an unusual winter that was harsh at the beginning and mild towards the end, budding was quite early, while the initial vegetative growth was slow due to the soil’s scarce water reserves. In the month of May, abundant rainfall and below-average temperatures slowed down growth, cancelling out the initial vegetative advance, and thereby accumulating a delay of about 2 weeks compared with the average season. The beginning of June coincided with the beginning of summer, with clear weather and high temperatures continuing each day until August which was marked by cooler temperatures and some rain that was useful for replenishing the land’s water reserves. This uneven trend continued until the harvest, which turned out to be one of the latest in recent years.
Vintage rating
-
Grape varieties
Sangiovese 100%
-
Vineyard
Vignavecchia - 2 hectares (4.94 acres)
Harvest
Grapes are hand harvested in small 17 kg crates during the first October weeks
-
Size
750 / 1.5 lt / 3 lt
-
Vinification
Soft crushing of the grapes after careful selection of the berries
Ageing
30 months in lightly-toasted 600 litres tonneaux with thick staves. This is followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing before its market release.
Fermentation
In 600 litres tonneaux
Malolactic fermentation
In 600 litres tonneaux
Awards
James Suckling
A rich, structured and intense 2019 Brunello from old vines. Lots of wood showing right now. Full body, chewy tannins and a full finish. A little too muscular, but there’s red-cherry, mushroom and old wood-bark character under the flex. From organically grown grapes. Should soften with age. Wait and see. Try after 2026