2019 Costanti - Brunello di Montalcino (750ml)
Situated on lean Cretaceous marl terraces rising 310 to 450 meters above sea level, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino from Conti Costanti captures the structural elegance characteristic of Montalcino’s oldest producing families. Family records document the Costanti lineage since the sixteenth century, and modern management under geologist Andrea Costanti and oenologist Vittorio Fiore maintains meticulous attention to vineyard density, organic farming practices, and harvest timing.
Whole berries from the historic Colle al Matrichese vineyard undergo a fourteen to twenty-one day fermentation on the skins in temperature-controlled stainless steel, a restrained extraction method that preserves aromatic intensity while keeping tannic grip manageable. The young wine then matures for eighteen months in French tonneaux, transitions to large Slavonian oak casks for another eighteen months, and completes its evolution with a twelve-month bottle rest. This phased wood regimen yields a Brunello that balances concentrated fruit with graceful, structured acidity.
The 2019 opens with pressed black cherry and bright strawberry lifted by clove, dried herbs, and toasted spice. A silk-textured mid-palate unfolds around firm, polished tannins, leading to a persistent finish that traces licorice root and thin orange zest. Best served slightly decanted to soften the edges and highlight depth. Pairs cleanly with herb-roasted pork loin, slow-braised beef short ribs, or nutty, aged cheeses like Pecorino Toscano.