2017 San Polo, Brunello di Montalcino, 6x750ml

This property was purchased by Marilisa Allegrini in 2006. Marilisa has continued to invest heavily in the estate, and this investment is now evident in the ever-increasing quality of the wines. Situated in the eastern part of Montalcino, this estate covers 22 hectares of which 16 are under vine, and produces wines that are classic in style, but with a bit more weight than would be found to the north of the zone.

The grapes for this wine come from vineyards covering approximately eight hectares, planted between 1990 and 2000. They are situated at an altitude of 450 metres above sea level, facing south-southwest on chalky, clay soils. They are spur-cordon trained with a density of 4,000-7,000 plants per hectare.

The winter was not particularly cold, and spring arrived slightly earlier than usual, with temperatures slightly above average, giving the vines’ shoots the opportunity to uniformly develop. The following weeks saw frequent rainfall, which allowed the land to build water reserves, alternating with periods of dry weather, enabling the vines to continue growing without any problems. The damp conditions during flowering led to the formation of bunches that were slightly more sparse than usual and with rather small berries, ideal preconditions for reaching harvest time with perfectly ripe and healthy grapes. However, the feature that will make vintage 2016 particularly memorable is the excellent temperature range that characterized the months of July, August and September, with sunny days and cool, breezy nights. At the beginning of October grapes showed a superb combination of ripeness, acidity and aromatic potential, perfect conditions for the production of wines with a distinct personality and a great balance of concentration, elegance and longevity; a perfect reflection of the production philosophy of San Polo.

The grapes were hand picked into 17 kilogram crates towards the end of September. Once at the winery, the berries were selected and softly crushed. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled concrete tanks for up to 22 days with temperatures reaching a maximum of 28-30°C. The wine was then aged for 30 months in a mixture or 10, 20 and 40 hectolitre oak casks. This was followed by a period of at least six months in bottle before release.