Medium ruby color; blackberry, black cherry, plum, raspberry, blueberry, oak, licorice, dark chocolate, coffee, aromatic flowers on the nose and palate.
Dry; pleasant tannins and excellent balancing acidity. Medium body. Focused with excellent structure. Rustic elements you expect from sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino, but engagingly also is elegant. Very cleverly made. Beautiful Brunello. Delicious easy drinker, especially for a wine this serious. Works nicely on pop-and-pour, but also gains depth and subtle complexity with exposure to air. 14.5% ABV
Brunello di Montalcino comes from vineyards surrounding the Tuscan town of Montalcino, 70 miles south of Florence. By legal requirement, it must be made with 100% of sangiovese grosso, a specific clone of sangiovese. Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s best known and most expensive wines with a history dating back to the 1300s. The Montalcino region was the first region to achieve Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status, Italy’s highest recognition of quality.
Members of the Frescobaldi family have been prestigious players in Florence and Tuscany for more than 700 years. They began producing wine in Tuscany in 1308; some of their customers included Michelangelo and Henry VIII. At the high point of medieval Florence, the Frescobaldi family spread its influence as bankers, earning the title of treasurer to the English crown. Later, with the flowering of the Renaissance, they became patrons of major works in Florence, including construction of the Santa Trinita bridge and the Basilica of Santo Spirito. In a foreshadowing of the Super Tuscan revolution, they began planting chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot vines in the region in 1855.
In 2007, Lamberto Frescobaldi, the 30th generation of the family, became vice president and oversaw the renewal of the estates in the family’s extensive portfolio. In 2013, Lamberto became president of the company, taking over from his uncle Leonardo. Lamberto studied at UC-Davis and has worked to modernize the company and expand in the U.S. and other markets since the late 1980s. You have a good chance of finding this wine in better wine stores and online.
Frescobaldi Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 is superb expression of Brunello di Montalcino—essentially the peak expression of Tuscan pure sangiovese. Rich, deep delicious. Very amenable tannins with balancing acidity present a versatile, food-friendly companion to rich foods and an impressive celebration of Tuscany’s signature grape. Pair with roasted meats—leg of lamb, pork, veal; grilled meats—ribeye steak lamb chops; braised beef; wild game—venison, boar, rabbit-hare; rustic Tuscan fare; pasta with rich sauces. Cheese—very mature cheeses; pecorino di pienza, pecorino toscano, parmesan, parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano, aged gouda, blue cheese. $60-65
Frescobaldi website, rich with photos and videos
