Altesino : Riserva 2019

Characteristics and tasting advice for Altesino's 2019 Riserva

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep red hue with garnet and brick highlights, reflecting the wine’s concentration and extended aging.

Nose

The nose is complex and profound, with notes of dried black cherry, black tea, and crushed stone. Aromas of violet and wild berries add a floral dimension, while hints of leather, dried rose, and earthy minerality enrich the bouquet. Aeration brings out balsamic nuances, licorice, and orange zest that lend freshness to the whole.

Palate

The attack is smooth and supple, unfolding into a full, concentrated structure. The silky, velvety texture coats the palate, carried by flavors of cherry, plum, and wild strawberry. Notes of forest floor, leather, and mushroom add savory complexity, while the crushed-stone minerality carries through from nose to palate. The dense, polished tannins provide a fine, chewy grip without harshness, gradually building their presence. The finish is remarkably long, with chalky minerality, notes of citrusy blackberry, and sage. Lively acidity drives the wine into a persistent finale that maintains freshness and elegance despite its structural power.

Food and wine pairings

This Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019 is an ideal match for pepper steak, a rack of lamb, or beef carpaccio. It also pairs beautifully with game preparations such as wild boar, guinea fowl, or duck, as well as rich, sauce-based slow-cooked dishes. Aged cheeses, notably Pecorino di Pienza, also make an excellent pairing.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to decant this Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019 about one hour before serving and to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. While already enjoyable to taste, this wine will fully express its potential from around 2028 and can continue to improve until around 2048 under optimal cellaring conditions.

An exceptional Italian Riserva from the prestigious Montalcino terroir

The estate

Founded in the mid-1970s by Giulio Consonno, Altesino has established itself as one of Tuscany’s most innovative estates, in the prestigious Montalcino area. Since its acquisition in 2002 by Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, a leading figure in Italian wine, the estate has continued its qualitative rise. Spanning around 100 hectares, including 50 hectares of vineyards divided into six distinct parcels, Altesino revolutionized Brunello by introducing the concept of a cru as early as 1975 with Montosoli, and then, in 1979, aging in French barriques. Under the winemaking direction of Paolo Caciorgna, assisted by Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci, the estate combines measured innovation with respect for Tuscan traditions, producing wines of exceptional elegance and complexity.

The vineyard

This Brunello di Montalcino comes primarily from the Pianezzine vineyard, located in the Sant'Angelo in Colle area, in the southern part of the appellation. This 6.5-hectare parcel lies at 250 meters above sea level, with a southern exposure and clay-sandy soils of sedimentary origin. The warmer microclimate of this southern zone promotes optimal ripening of sangiovese, producing grapes of remarkable concentration and phenolic richness. The harvest is carried out by hand with rigorous selection of the bunches destined for the Riserva cuvée.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage in Tuscany proved exceptional for Brunello di Montalcino, to the point of being described as a “Riserva year” by professionals. After a mild winter, the growing season benefited from favorable conditions, with a hot, dry summer punctuated by cool nights in September. Timely rainfall at the end of September helped refine ripeness ahead of harvest, which took place in sunny weather in October. This combination of warmth, nighttime freshness, and measured water supply produced grapes that unite fruit concentration, tannic structure, and vibrant freshness, creating wines of remarkable balance with outstanding aging potential.

Vinification and aging

After the hand harvest, the grapes for the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019 fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, allowing precise temperature management and optimal extraction of phenolic compounds. The wine was then aged for three years in Slavonian oak casks, these large traditional vessels encouraging subtle tertiary aromatic development through controlled micro-oxygenation, without imprinting pronounced oaky notes on the wine. After blending, the wine underwent a minimum of six months of bottle aging before release, in accordance with the requirements of the Riserva appellation.

Grape variety

100% sangiovese grosso, the local clone of sangiovese grown in Montalcino, also called brunello.