WOTM: Tenuta Castelgiocondo, Frescobaldi, Brunello di Montalcino 2015

Our February Wine of the Month is a classic style, from a world-renowned wine region and a family owned winery that dates back over 30 generations. This wine is Tenuta Castelgiocondo, Frescobaldi, Brunello di Montalcino 2015. Made at the producer’s Castelgiocondo estate, which is considered to be one of the most historical estates of Montalcino, as it was one of the first producers of Brunello di Montalcino during the 1800s.

Recently reviewed in Decanter Magazine, Monty Waldin awarded the wine 94 points, writing:
“2015 is Castelgiocondo’s first certified-organic vintage, making it Montalcino’s largest certified-organic estate. Poised red fruits demonstrate underlying power. Savoury and velvety in texture, the fruit is clear and juicy; smooth with inner power.”

In a nutshell:

A dense, warm, full-flavoured and complex Brunello with leather and earthy, savoury notes combined with violets and toasted coffee.

The producer:

A Florentine family with thirty generations dedicated to the production of great wines across six Tuscan estates. The Frescobaldi style brings together tradition and innovation. With the goal of being the most prestigious Tuscan wine producer, Frescobaldi firmly believes in respecting the local land while focusing on the highest quality grapes for its wines. The Frescobaldis own over 1,000 hectares of vineyard, all located in excellent areas for the production of fine wines. Directly managed by its family members, the Frescobaldi name is deeply connected with the history of art, culture, trade, finance and wine in Italy. Gambero Rosso awarded Frescobaldi with the prestigious ‘Tre Bicchieri Winery of the Year Award 2020’, in recognition of its uncompromising commitment to quality and innovation.

The wine:
CastelGiocondo’s unique location in Montalcino, with its varied exposure and terrain, offers infinite nuances to this Brunello. The soils comprise Galestro soils, which are rocky and schistous with a high presence of clay and calcium; and Pleocene sands which have a high presence of calcium. The high density vineyards are planted at between 250 and 400 metres above sea level, with 5,500 vines per hectare. The vines have an average age of 15 years and are Cordon spur and Guyot trained. Meticulous vineyard management takes place by hand, with autumn tilling of the soil, green manure sowing and careful canopy management to ensure good ventilation.