# Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino (2021)

- **Producer:** Cerbaiona
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.1%
- **Average price:** €180
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** rose, cherry, raspberry, plum, orange, black pepper, liquorice, vanilla, cedar, smoke, leather, tobacco, forest floor, mushroom

## About this wine

Cerbaiona is one of Montalcino's most legendary estates, situated on a high-altitude ridge northeast of the town. Known for its historic terroir and uncompromising quality, the estate underwent a renaissance under new ownership, culminating in the replanting of its vineyards in 2017. The 2021 vintage represents a historic milestone as the first Brunello di Montalcino produced entirely from these newly replanted, high-density bush vines, capturing the estate's signature elegance, verticality, and profound stony minerality.

## Interesting facts

- The 2021 vintage is the first Brunello in Cerbaiona's history to be sourced entirely from their high-density vineyards replanted in 2017.
- Vines are trained using the rare Alberello (bush vine) system with individual wood stakes, a labor-intensive method nearly extinct in Montalcino.
- The estate's high-altitude vineyards sit on a unique ridge of Galestro and Alberese soils, catching morning light while avoiding harsh afternoon heat.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and firm, chalky tannins of this Brunello demand rich, protein-heavy dishes and savory fats to soften its structure. Classic Tuscan pairings like wild game, rich ragùs, and grilled red meats work beautifully because the wine's vibrant acidity cuts through the fat, while the savory, earthy notes of the Sangiovese complement the rustic flavors of the food.

## Wine making process

The winemaking at Cerbaiona combines meticulous tradition with state-of-the-art precision. Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted before undergoing spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in open-top wooden tanks (15HL to 30HL) without crushing. Extraction is exceptionally gentle, utilizing manual punch-downs and minimal pump-overs to preserve purity. The wine is aged in traditional large oak casks (botti) in the estate's gravity-flow cellar, ensuring a slow, harmonious maturation that highlights the terroir's natural acidity and fine-grained tannins.