Great Italian Wines: Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany

Perhaps it was their American background, but they also recognized the value of tourism and kept that in mind in the construction of their facilities. As will be discussed in a future article in this series, the Banfi Brunellos are decidedly modern and international in style. The wines are derided by some (and lauded by others), but have no doubt, without the Banfi money and investment along with the resultant publicity, Brunello would not be the household name it is today. Thanks in large part to their commitment, the good times for Brunello were now on the horizon.

Soon new investors came with money to the area. Some of the large Chianti producers began to also invest in the area. In 1989, Frescobaldi bought the Castel Giacondo estate. In the 1990’s Antinori bought Pian delle Vigna and from the Piedmonte, Angelo Gaja bought Pieve di Santa Restitua. At the same time many other smaller wineries hit the scene with an eye towards quality artisanal winemaking. By 1995, the number had increased to 120 estates producing just fewer than 300,000 cases. There are new producers making more wine all the time.

The result for today’s consumer is that there is now a dizzying array of Brunello’s on our shelves. Prices have escalated, especially after the much heralded 1997 vintage. A bottle now retails for between $40 to $300 or more. With this expansion, however, came variable results in terms of the quality in the bottle. No longer is the name Brunello di Montalcino enough to ensure outstanding quality. There are a lot of Brunellos that are no better than a simple Chianti despite a price that may be five times as expensive. In addition, like many regions in Italy, there is a split in winemaking styles between the modern producers and the traditional producers. Whether you prefer one style to the other is a matter of taste. At these prices, however, it really pays to know what you are looking for.