2021 CastelGiocondo Brunello Di Montalcino
The 2021 CastelGiocondo is a masterclass in power and elegance. It pours a brilliant, deep garnet and leaps from the
Producer
CastelGiocondo
I have reviewed two wines from CastelGiocondo, from the 2019 to 2021 vintages, all from Brunello di Montalcino. All are Sangiovese. Scores range from 95 to 95, averaging 95; the highest is the 2021 CastelGiocondo Brunello Di Montalcino (95 points). CastelGiocondo also features in one journal article on this site.
Owned by the Frescobaldi family, CastelGiocondo is one of the largest and most historic estates in Montalcino. Its vineyards lie in the south-western part of the appellation, warmer than the north, which gives riper fruit and a powerful structure. The estate was a pioneer in the region, among the first to produce a cru wine, “Ripe al Convento”.
CastelGiocondo Brunello is a benchmark for the broad-shouldered, muscular style: dense, structured and capable of long ageing, yet accessible enough for anyone tasting Brunello for the first time. The 2019, aged in Slavonian and French oak, balances richness and finesse, with ripe red cherry, wild berries, dried roses, tobacco and sweet spice.
In 2021, frost-thinned yields gave the wine more concentration and spine than in years: deep garnet, with crushed black cherry, plum, Mediterranean scrub, leather and crushed stone on a palate of dense, finely knit tannins and mineral acidity. It has the framework to evolve in the cellar for fifteen to twenty years.
2021 Brunello di Montalcino – Vintage Report
If 2019 was operatic and 2020 was sunny, 2021 is the year of transparency. This is a vintage that vibrates with energy, defined by significant diurnal shifts that locked in soaring aromatics and “al dente” fruit profiles. Moving away from sheer muscle, the 2021 Brunellos are architectural and nervy, showcasing a savory, saline grip that speaks clearly of the Montalcino soil. For the collector who values elegance and tension over weight, this is a sophisticated, “intellectual” vintage that promises a fascinating evolution in the cellar.
2019 CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino
This is a more generous style of Brunello that delivers a powerful fruit to your glass. Crafted by one of