The 2019 Altesino Brunello is a 95-Point Beacon of Value!
Altesino is a trailblazer in Brunello, the first to use barriques, and the pioneer of the "Cru" concept in the 1970s. Given the history, you'd presume the wine to be special, but 2019 blows away even the biggest expectations!
"The 2019s from Altesino are some of the best new releases I can remember tasting at this address."
- Eric Guido, Vinous
We recently hosted our annual Big Reds event in Barrington, where we were lucky enough to try the 2019 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino - and it was amazing. The wine was brimming with energy, releasing each flavor in due course, including notes of bright cherry, red and black berries, crushed stone, violets, leather, dried herbs, and this beguilingly velvety chocolate orange peel finish. Given how much life is ahead on this one, we could not believe how generous it is already, especially at our price!
Read on for the full details, and about our miniscule availability on Altesino's 97-point, 2019 "Vigna Montosoli," then quickly click the Big Yellow Button to bask in Brunello beauty!
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2019 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
Tuscany, Italy
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We have always been huge fans of Altesino's "normale" bottling of Brunello di Montalcino. But when we tasted the 2019 vintage, it was so good that we couldn't believe it wasn't a Riserva!
Tasting this at our Big Reds event, we knew this wine could use some more time in bottle or a vigorous decanting. Even so, the aromatics, flavors, and mouthfeel were mind-blowing.
The wine is velvety from the jump, with cascading flavors of ripe cherry, blackberry, raspberry, black plum, crushed stones, purple flowers, tanned leather, herbes de Provence, and a pinch of earth. The finish is long, fresh, and enticing, with a swirl of chocolate-covered orange peel. We nearly ran out of descriptors trying to capture the complexity of this gem!
Check out the 95-point reviews from Jeb and Wine Advocate, and Eric Guido's wonderful take in his 94-point write-up...
"Pouring a rich ruby color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino offers an attractive nose of cherry candies, sweet herbs, polished leather, and orange oils. It moves seamlessly to the palate with equally harmonious structure and a great, long finish. Medium to full-bodied, it lasts for ages. This is one of those wines that’s going to have a very wide drinking window and is exceptional already. Drink 2026-2046."
- 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (2/28/2024)
"A dark ruby color in the glass, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens with a beguiling blend of dusty earth, crushed rocks, savory herbs and dried roses. This is racy and sleek, with vividly ripe wild berry fruits elevated by orange and sage, all guided by vibrant acidity. Grippy tannins take control through the finish, yet the mouth is left watering for more as a bitter licorice tinge and dark chocolate adds a crunchy sensation. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2035."
- 94 Points, Vinous - Eric Guido (11/2023)
"The Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a rich and savory side that this wine wears very well. There is a beautiful level of dark fruit that folds into the wine's velvety texture. Blackberry and plum envelop the palate, adding elegant full-bodied volume and fine tannins along the way. The wine is aged in traditional Slavonian casks, and production reaches 110,000 bottles annually (which is very ambitious considering this level of quality). Drink Date: 2025 - 2042."
- 95 Points, Wine Advocate (12/14/2023)
Most retailers sell this stunner for $60 or more. At our price of $52.99, it is one of the best vintage values for Brunello!
Vin Chicago Price: 52.99
The 97-Point, 2019 Altesino "Vigna Montosoli" Brunello di Montalcino!
2019 Altesino "Vigna Montosoli"
Brunello di Montalcino
Tuscany, Italy
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In 1975, Altesino pioneered the "Cru" concept with Vigna Montosoli. This legendary wine set the standard for Brunello di Montalcino, and the 2019 vintage is absolutely outstanding!
“Altesino hits it out of the ballpark with its 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli.”
- Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
One of our tasters was lucky enough to sample this wine recently and was blown away. While needing several more years in the bottle to fully develop, the 2019 Vigna Montosoli brings a symphony of aromatics and flavors for those lucky enough to try it.
The triple 97-point reviews perfectly capture the 2019 Montosoli experience...
"An enticing blend of steeped plums, blood orange, sage and sweet smoke makes the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli a total pleasure on the nose. Elegant and soothing, it flows across the palate with a silken wave of ripe red fruits and spices as saline minerals slowly saturate under an air of violet inner florals. The 2019 is seamless and harmonious, leaving a coating of edgy tannins to contend with a bump of refreshing acidity as suggestions of tart cranberry and a bitter tinge of clove slowly taper off. This is Montosoli terroir at its very best, and even at this early stage, it's impossible to resist pouring another glass. Drinking Window: 2027 - 2040."
- 97 Points, Vinous - Eric Guido (11/2023)
"From a beautiful site that must be seen to be believed, the Altesino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli is redolent with dark fruit, blackcurrant and crushed slate. The mineral element of Montosoli and its schistic galestro-rich soils comes through beautifully in this vintage to add a linear sense of immediacy and verticality to the bouquet. The mouthfeel is especially elegant, and the wine's acidity is delivered expertly to showcase freshness but more importantly to highlight the quality of the fruit. The effect is very tonic and bright, and you get hints of baked brioche or oven-baked Italian focaccia bread, thanks to careful aging in Slavonian oak. This is a 12,000-bottle release. Drink Date: 2026 - 2045."
- 97 Points, Wine Advocate (12/14/2023)
"The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli displays a rich red color and opens to a gorgeous perfume of cherry liqueur, polished leather, star anise, gravelly earth, and pressed flowers. Beautifully detailed, the palate has a medium to a full-bodied frame, with plush tannins, a perfectly harmonious structure, outstanding purity of concentrated ripe fruit, and a long finish. Lovers of this estate are not going to want to miss out on this one. Drink 2025-2045."
- 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (2/28/2024)
The median online retail is $127.99. As you've come to expect, our price is a bit less. We have less than a case of standard 750ml bottles and only a handful of 1.5-liter magnums available, so act fast!
Vin Chicago Price: 109.99
Also available are a few 1.5-liter magnum bottles!
