I’m a big fan of Italian wines. If the price of wine were no a consideration I’d be drinking Brunello di Montalcino on a regular basis. But money is a consideration. So fortunately, there’s Rosso di Montalcino.
Both Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino are made from sangiovese grown in the vineyards surrounding the Italian town of Montalcino.
- Brunello di Montalcino must be aged in oak for at least 2 years and in bottle for at least 4 months before the wine is released. They tend to be expensive wines, selling for $50 and up per bottle. These tend to also be good wines for aging in a wine cellar.
- Rosso di Montalcino only needs to be aged in oak for 6 months and only needs 1 year total aging (oak+bottle) before being released. Rosso tends to be significantly cheaper than it’s big brother, Brunello. Rosso also tends to be lighter in style and ready to drink right away.
So when it comes to finding a tasty wine of this style that won’t break the bank, the Rosso wins. And when it comes time to enjoy it, you win.
This particular Rosso di Montalcino comes from Castello Banfi, a producer with broad distribution in the United States, making this a wine that shouldn’t be too hard to find.
Cedar, cherry, black pepper and plum aromatics give this wine good complexity on the nose – it’s got a bit of fruit and a bit of spice. It’s nice and well balanced. The palate is a similar story, it offers tasty cherry, blackberry, raspberry and spice flavors that are good, but not incredible. It offers an old world style, that brings a balance of earthy and fruity qualities. The acidity is good and moderate tannins give a bit of texture to the mouthfeel. The finish is relatively long and tasty.
Wine: Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino
Variety: Sangiovese
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 87
Price: $20.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.
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