# Quercecchio Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (2021)

- **Producer:** Azienda Agricola Quercecchio
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €38
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, raspberry, strawberry, violet, rose, black pepper, liquorice, vanilla, cloves, cedar, tobacco, forest floor, leather

## About this wine

Azienda Agricola Quercecchio has been owned and operated by the Salvioni family for five generations. Today, the estate is personally overseen by Maria Grazia Salvioni and her nephew Matteo. The winery occupies a 700-year-old former agricultural monastery (grancia) that belonged to the Benedictine Monks of Monte Oliveto Maggiore from the late 14th century to the late 17th century. The property still bears the original ideograms of the Olivetan Benedictine Order on its historic stone buildings. Located in Tavernelle, one of the most revered and elite micro-terroirs in Montalcino, Quercecchio’s vineyards are wedged between regional icons like the legendary Gianfranco Soldera estate (Case Basse) and the Gaja family's Sugarille and Rennina vineyards.

## Interesting facts

- The winery is housed in a 700-year-old former agricultural monastery once belonging to Benedictine Monks.
- Quercecchio's vineyards are directly wedged between legendary estates Soldera (Case Basse) and Gaja's Sugarille.
- The estate allocates a strict limit of only 100 cases of this Brunello annually to the United States market.

## Food pairing

This classic Brunello di Montalcino demands rich, savory, and high-protein dishes to balance its firm, structured tannins and vibrant acidity. The high protein and fat in roasted meats like venison and beef bind with the tannins, softening the wine's mouthfeel, while the bright acidity cuts through the richness of slow-cooked shanks and buttery truffle sauces. Earthy elements like wild mushrooms and truffles mirror the wine's complex forest floor and savory tertiary notes, creating a harmonious, terroir-driven pairing.

## Wine making process

The 2021 growing season began with a severe frost in early April, which naturally thinned the crop and reduced yields by 20% or more, followed by an exceptionally dry summer. Breezy diurnal cooling in September allowed the remaining grapes to ripen slowly and reach perfect physiological maturity. Hand-selected and crushed grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Extended skin contact (maceration) is employed, with frequent pump-overs (rimontaggi) to ensure gentle, thorough extraction. Maturation takes place in traditional large Slavonian oak casks (botti) alongside select neutral French oak barrels for at least 36 months (3 years). After bottling, the wine undergoes a minimum of 4 months of bottle refinement before commercial release.