# Brunello di Montalcino (2021)

- **Producer:** Castello Romitorio
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €75
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 18–20 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** redcurrant, raspberry, cherry, plum, violet, mint, cloves, cedar, leather, tobacco, mushroom

## About this wine

Castello Romitorio is a historic 12th-century fortress situated in the cooler northwestern hills of Montalcino, Tuscany. After standing abandoned for decades, the estate was purchased in 1984 by Sandro Chia, a prominent Italian painter and sculptor associated with the Transavanguardia art movement. Chia transformed the castle into his art studio and restored the surrounding land, planting high-density Sangiovese vineyards across cold clay and galestro schist soils. Today, the estate is managed by his son Filippo Chia. The bottle label features an original oil painting by Sandro Chia depicting a centaur, symbolizing the harmony between human craft and the natural world.

## Interesting facts

- Castello Romitorio is a restored 12th-century fortress purchased in 1984 by renowned Italian Transavanguardia artist Sandro Chia.
- The bottle label artwork was painted by founder Sandro Chia, depicting a centaur framing the harmony of humanity and nature.
- In 2021, the winery decided against making a Riserva, routing all top estate fruit into this single flagship Brunello.

## Food pairing

The powerful structure of Brunello di Montalcino, characterized by high tannins and brisk acidity, requires dishes with substantial protein, fat, and savory richness. Rich meats and aged cheeses soften the tannin structure while matching the wine's intensity.

## Wine making process

The 2021 vintage is sourced from seven distinct estate vineyard plots at elevations between 200 and 480 meters. In this vintage, no separate Riserva cuvée was produced, channeling all top-tier estate fruit into the flagship Brunello. Grapes were hand-harvested with strict manual sorting. Fermentation occurred in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete tanks following a cold maceration phase of 15 to 20 hours. Skin contact lasted up to 30 days, followed by natural malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 24 months in oak (90% large Slavonian oak casks and 10% second- and third-fill tonneaux) before undergoing extended bottle aging prior to release.