San Polino, Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Get to know: San Polino, Brunello di Montalcino 2019

A 96-point Brunello from a tiny 4-hectare biodynamic estate just northwest of Montalcino

Tasting Note

A serious Brunello from a serious vintage. Intense, layered, properly Sangiovese. The James Suckling 96-point note captures it: “Intense aromas of black cherries, black truffle, orange peel and Indian spices. The palate is full yet reserved, with very fine tannins that fly linear and deep in the wine. Caressing texture. Reserved at the end. A real beauty.” From organically grown grapes, with the long ageing on lees and in large oak that proper traditional Brunello requires.

Top food pairings:

• Fine roast leg of lamb with rosemary (Kate’s pick)
• Slow-braised beef cheeks with porcini
• Aged Pecorino di Pienza or mature Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Roast duck with a fig and balsamic glaze

Kate Says

“This is a very special Italian wine from a ripe and appealing vintage. San Polino are one the top producers of Brunello di Montalcino. Their wines have an incredible clarity and pureness of fruit. This is a great red wine for a gift and one to keep in the cellar for a year or two before enjoying it - if you can resist it!”

Producer Info

There’s a small nirvana just northwest of Montalcino where Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum founded San Polino nearly 30 years ago. The couple set out to make wines that are complete reflections of the biodiversity of their terroir. The estate is a tiny 4 hectares, farmed organically and biodynamically by the two of them, pouring all their heart and energy into the wines. From vineyards around 300m above sea level, the grapes are hand-harvested before being pressed and fermented with natural yeasts. The wines then go through 45 days of skin maceration, a month-long malolactic fermentation, and a further 20 days on lees. Finally the wine spends 5 years in large oak casks — a mixture of Slovakian and French, only 5% of which is new — exactly as a serious traditional Brunello should.

How it’s made:

• 100% Sangiovese (Sangiovese Grosso / Brunello clone)
• Organic and biodynamic farming on a tiny 4 ha estate near Montalcino
• Vineyards around 300m above sea level
• Hand-harvested
• Pressed and fermented with natural yeasts
• 45 days of skin maceration
• ~1 month malolactic fermentation
• 20 days lees ageing
• 5 years in large oak casks — mix of Slovakian and French, only 5% new

Good to know:

• Region: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy
• Producer estate: 4 hectares, organic and biodynamic
• Style: Red, still, full-bodied
• Grape: Sangiovese 100%
• ABV: 14.5%
• Vintage: 2019 (a benchmark Brunello vintage)
• Press: James Suckling, 96 points
• Organic: Yes
• Vegan: Yes
• Drinking window: Drinking now with a year or two more in the cellar; cellaring potential 10–15+ years

Why we love it:

This is one of the most serious bottles on the Reserve Wines shelf. Brunello di Montalcino at 4-hectare biodynamic estate scale, 45-day maceration, 5 years in large oak - every winemaking choice is the choice a traditional Brunello producer makes. Add a 96-point James Suckling score in a benchmark 2019 vintage, and you’ve got a bottle that genuinely belongs in a serious cellar. The bottle to lay down for a 50th, an anniversary, or a properly slow Sunday in five years’ time.