San Polo, Brunello di Montalcino

The grapes for this wine come from vineyards covering approximately eight hectares, planted between 1990 and 2000. They are situated at an altitude of 450 metres above sea level, facing south-southwest on chalky, clay soils. They are spur-cordon trained with a density of 4,000-7,000 plants per hectare.

The 2019 winter in Tuscany was cold and dry, although February was warmer than average. Regular episodes of rainstorms in the spring helped replenish the vines' water supply. However, a temperature drop delayed bud break and May was particularly wet. The summer started with temperatures above average in June, while June and August saw several hailstorms, but generally, the weather remained stable until harvest time. Compared to other regions of Italy, affected by heatwaves causing grape sunburn in some areas, Tuscany produced about 10% more grapes than the 2018 vintage. The winemaker describes 2019 as a good vintage, with the wines showing a good structure and balance.

The grapes were hand picked into 17 kilogram crates at the end of September. Once at the winery, the berries were selected and softly crushed. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled concrete tanks for up to 22 days with temperatures reaching a maximum of 28-30°C. The wine was then aged for 30 months in a mixture of 10, 20 and 40 hectolitre oak casks. This was followed by a period of at least six months in bottle before release.