Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019

Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Region: Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Vintage: 2019

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Sangiovese

ABV: 14.5%

The Riserva is intense ruby in colour with aromas of dried cherry, rose, herbs and hints of earth on the nose. A great balance on the palate with silky tannins and a lingering finish.

The vineyards are located at 300 metres above sea level and are south facing. Soils here are firm, mainly limestone with some clay. The first vines were planted in 1984 and are spur cordon trained with about 4,000 plants per hectare. They yield approximately 54 hectolitres per hectare.

The best grapes from the oldest vineyard on the estate were carefully selected and picked by hand into small cases. After gentle pressing, a cold soak took place for seven days followed by a long maceration with frequent pumping over and 'délestage' (rack and return in order to break up the cap and ensure that all the goodness in the skins is extracted). After malolactic fermentation, the wine was racked into a mix of specially selected French and Slavonian oak barriques for 24 months. Following another year in concrete vats the wine was bottled without any filtration. It spent 18 months in bottle before release.

The Fossacolle estate is located in the south of Montalcino and covers four hectares of vineyards, of which 2.5 are destined for Brunello. Such is the quality of the vineyards that Adriano Bambagioni has been able to produce wines that have won numerous accolades. Adriano learned his trade during the 10 years that he worked with Giacomo Tachis, the oenologist responsible for producing the first Super Tuscan wines.