Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2012
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Robert - Decanter
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Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pair with stews, roasted meats and cheese.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows pure and fresh fruit that many others don't have. Also, there are plenty of linear tannins. Precise and beautiful. Medium to full body. Persistent finish. Better in 2019.
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Wine Spectator
A bright, cherry-laced red, accented by iron, earth, tar and tobacco notes. Though lean and tight on the finish, this is lively, with a lingering aftertaste of cherry, tobacco and mineral. Best from 2019 through 2032.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Castiglion del Bosco 2012 Brunello di Montalcino exhibits classic lines and aromas that are faithfully characteristic of Tuscany's Sangiovese grape. There's a wild or untamed element with forest berry, underbrush, wild mushroom, lavender, tar and licorice. Balsam herbs also appear with cola and grilled rosemary. There's a lot to keep your attention. The mouthfeel is more streamlined and slightly shorter compared to previous vintages. This seems to be a common trait in 2012 Brunello but it does not make too much of a difference in this case.
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Decanter
Tightly-knit and still youthful, with enticing violet-suffused cherry aromas unfolding onto a tense yet free-flowing palate bristling with pronounced acidity and chalky, dry-edged tannins. Well-done.
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Wine Enthusiast
French oak, tobacco and exotic spice aromas emerge in the glass. The firm, full-bodied palate delivers dried black cherry, raspberry compote, vanilla and licorice flavors, framed by assertive but fine-grained tannins. Drink 2020–2027.
Other Vintages
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Situated in the province of Siena where the renown area of "Brunello di Montalcino" is found, Castiglion del Bosco encompasses approximately 4,450 acres of land, 125 of which are vineyards with plans to plant 15 more acres. The farm is located between the historic towns of Buonconvento and Montalcino. Given the truly magnificent geographical position of the estate, perched on a hill looking down onto the surrounding valleys, exposure is optimal resulting in wines of excellent quality. These are very exciting wines, new and classic at the same time.
Castiglion del Bosco was the first to produce and bottle Brunello di Montalcino in the sixties and today represents one of the most important properties of this region. Plans are currently underway to produce new wines and expand the existing cellar. This estate prides itself on the highest level of quality combined with respect for tradition. Claudio Basla, from Altesino, also consults at Castiglion del Bosco insuring the same levels of quality that we have always enjoyed from that estate.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.