2021 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino
The name Brunello was all but born on this hill. In 1870, Count Tito Costanti, a Sienese lawyer and gentleman
Producer
Costanti
I have reviewed two wines from Costanti, from the 2020 to 2021 vintages, all from Brunello di Montalcino. All are Sangiovese. Scores range from 98 to 99, averaging 99; the highest is the 2021 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino (99 points). Costanti also features in one journal article on this site.
The Costanti family has been in Montalcino since the 1500s, and its name is woven into Brunello’s history: Tito Costanti presented a bottle labelled “Brunello” as early as 1869. The estate lies just outside the town at high altitude, on the galestro-rich slopes of Colle al Matrichese, and it remains a bastion of aristocratic tradition.
Andrea Costanti runs it with a philosophy that avoids heavy extraction and excess oak. When many producers turned to French barrique, Costanti held firm with large Slavonian casks and native-yeast fermentations. The Brunellos have high-toned aromatics, nervous acidity and vertical structure, wines that sing rather than shout.
Vintages show different faces. The 2020 pairs the year’s concentration with generous dark fruit and a plush texture, polished enough to enjoy now yet built for a long evolution. The 2021, by contrast, is the very definition of austere elegance, with the crystalline purity of the northern side of the vintage.
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.
2020 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino
The 2020 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino is a stunner, a profound and stellar wine from one of the region’s most