ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2024

Light cherry notes underline its elegant nose. The Rosso di Montalcino proudly shows its full body in the glass and a beautiful integrated acidity.

In 1984 this wine got the DOC classification, thanks to its popularity among wine lovers. Over the years it has become an "alter ego" of Brunello, but in a less elaborate way, both from the point of view of price and the type of wine.

Traditionally in combination with meat dishes, but also with pecorino cheese and plates serves with "new" olive oil, fresh from the oil mill.

After a rather difficult and wet 2023, vintage 2024 provided a different set of challenges. Over 20 days of rain between the months of May and June was followed by extended high temperatures. This culminated in a delayed harvest that was punctuated by rainy days, putting Montalcino producers to the test. The spring, though erratic, was characterised by regular budbreak, steady development and a delayed flowering. The first challenges began in mid-May. 21 days of rainfall kept producers occupied with protecting the vines from mildew, until the second ten days of June. Excellent water availability, thanks to the wet spring, permitted luxurious canopy growth and homogenous bunch and berry development. At the end of June there was a heatwave, with 37 days of temperatures exceeding 35°C and peaks of 38°C, over 100 Fahrenheit. This dramatic shift necessitated timely soil management in order to make the best use of the abundant water supply. In spite of the extreme temperatures, thanks to more rain at the end of July and the beginning of August, the Sangiovese vines did not suffer from the effects of drought and the vegetative development was not impacted by heat-related stress. Temperatures were lower in the second half of August and dropped drastically in September. It rained frequently and the countryside remained green for the entirety of the growing season. Harvest began the last week of September and its timing was affected by two rainy periods. The first was in the initial ten days of the month and the second after the first week of October which meant multiple selections in the vineyards were required. The harvest continued until mid-October, providing brief windows in which the grapes were ideal for the production of ethereal and slender wines, distinguished by lower pH and lower alcohol levels compared to recent years. These challenging conditions during harvest underlined the importance of wellmanaged and flexible picking strategies, along with informed and timely decisions regarding fermentation techniques. 2024 vintage highlights the need for an evaluation model for Brunello that is linked to a careful analysis of weather and climate data, and their consequences on grape development, production and quality. The goal is to provide valuable information for decision making that will benefit producers and ultimately enhance the distinctive and multi-faceted expressions of Sangiovese in Montalcino.