The wine is obtained through a careful selection of the grapes of a single variety, Sangiovese, harvested by hand in the vineyard of Castel Giocondo at Montalcino, which is owned by the house. The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 250 to 450 meters (820-1,476 ft.) and exposure is to the south, southwest. The vines, with an average age of 20 years, grow in densities of 3,000 to the hectare (1,215 an acre) in older vineyards and 5,500 in more recently planted sections. They are trained in the low spurred cordon system and grow in soils containing clay, limestone and sandstone. After a soft crush with the use of horizontal presses, the wine is fermented in stainless steel containers for 12 days at a temperature that never exceeded 30 degrees Celsius (86° F.). Skin contact lasts about three weeks. Malolactic fermentation immediately follows the alcoholic fermentation. Maturation lasts 36 months with a small part of the wine aged in barriques and the rest in Slavonian oak casks with capacities of 80 to 100 hectoliters (2,105-2,632 U.S. gallons). The wine is fined in the bottle for at least four months, as stipulated in the production code. The color is a remarkably limpid ruby red with pronounced garnet reflections. The aromas are evolved and full with notable intensity. The wine displays scents of ripe fruit, especially cherries, and light spicy hints of pepper, cinnamon and cloves. In the mouth, the impact is elegant, full without being overwhelming and fine with an agreeable mixture of acidity and tannin. The finish is dry, austere and completely satisfying. Contains sulphites. Produced by Marchesi Frescobaldi società agricola S.r. l. - Via Aretina, 120 - 50065, Sieci - Pontassieve (Firenze) - Italy.
THE REVIEW OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO CASTELGIOCONDO FRESCOBALDI BY LUCA STROPPA
The producer
One of the leading and most extensive wine estate complexes in Europe, Frescobaldi owns nine properties in Tuscany, all situated in zones that are particularly suited and dedicated to the production of premium D.O.C. and D.O.C.G. wines. Of the nine estates, among them Remole, Castiglioni, Corte, Santa Maria and Valiano, those of Castelli di Pomino and Nipozzano and Castel Giocondo produce wines of the highest level of quality. Although the company has experienced numerous evolutions over the years, the property has not changed and is still entirely owned by the Frescobaldi family. Castello di Pomino, located in the Pomino D.O.C. zone on the slopes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the northeast of Florence, covers a total of 1,458 hectares (3,601 acres), of which 103 are planted in vines. Castello di Nipozzano in the Chianti Rufina D.O.C.G. zone with a hilly landscape typical of Tuscany, 30 kilometers to the northeast of Florence, amounts to 626 hectares with vineyards occupying 212 hectares. Castel Giocondo in the Brunello D.O.C.G. and Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C. zone in a typical Mediterranean environment to the south of Siena covers a total of 815 hectares, of which 151 are entered on the Brunello register. The other Frescobaldi estates, which occupy a total area of 1,164 hectares with 279 planted in vines, are located in premium viticultural zones. Remole is 15 kilometers to the east of Florence in the Chianti Rufina zone; Castiglioni, Montagnana and Valiano are about 30 kilometers to the southwest of Florence in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini zone and Corte nel Mugello and Santa Maria are located in the Scansano area of Grosseto province. Each of the first three estates has its own structures for vinification and maturation of its wines, while the grapes harvested on the six other properties are fermented in the winery at Montagnana. A structure at Sieci houses the packaging section and cellars where the wines are laid down. At all its estates, Frescobaldi is committed to the production of wines that profoundly reflect the character of the environment. The style is modern and innovative and the wines develop rich personalities. The philosophy that has guided Frescobaldi over the years in its viticultural operations is based on the exploitation of grapes from its own vineyards, in keeping with the conviction that the quality of a wine is created first of all in the vineyard. According to Frescobaldi, the terroir, the indissoluble link between environment, variety, climate and human intervention, determines the quality of a wine. On the basis of that concept, Frescobaldi has secured leadership in the vitivinicultural sector. Because of its capacity for research and innovation, which has permitted it to acquire long experience in the cultivation of Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot in Tuscany, Frescobaldi ranks among the first wine properties to plant specialized vineyards and introduce the use of stainless steel and oak in vinification.
Best with
Savory red meats, stewed and oven-roasted game and aged cheeses.
How to serve it
It is advisable to uncork the bottle three or four hours before it is to be served. The proper temperature is 18-20 degrees Celsius (64-68° F.). The best goblet is a chalice of transparent, smooth and uncolored crystal.
How to keep
The wine can be aged at great length, more than 30 years, if it is preserved in appropriate conditions with the bottles laid down horizontally in a cool, damp, dark cellar.
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