San Polino, Brunello Di Montalcino, DOCG, Tuscany, Italy, 2020

Producer Profile

San Polino is a small ‘nirvana’ northwest of Montalcino, where Luigi Fabbro and Katia Nussbaum founded the estate nearly 30 years ago.

Using Luigi’s scientific experience of mapping the Amazon rainforest, the pair set out to create wines that would be “complete reflections of the biodiversity of their terroir”, as Katia puts it. This tiny estate of only 4ha is farmed biodynamically by this energetic couple, who have poured their heart and soul into producing a range of truly luscious and balanced wines. Praised by critics and peers alike, these wines have been described as having “an incredible clarity and pureness of fruit that is unequalled in the region”.

Viticulture

Vineyards are to the north-east of Montalcino at 300m altitude where a meandering stream runs through it attracting much wildlife. Worked by hand, organically and biodynamically, the canopy is well-managed to produce healthy, juicy, thick-skinned grapes.

Winemaking

Harvested early in October, there is a cold 3-day maceration, followed by a spontaneous fermentation on native yeasts in 35hl tronic oak barrels, 45 day maceration in total then the skins are pressed, followed by 1 month spontaneous malolactic fermentation. 20 days lees ageing. To finish the wine it spends 5 years ageing in large oak casks before bottling by hand in the winery.

Tasting Note

This is an elegant, well structured wine, from the nose of dark fruit, with plums, blackcurrent, tobacco, spices, with hints of black pepper, liquorice, then violet, and orange zest, the strong minerality of earth and flint, to the freshness of the mouth, the full yet unbelievably smooth tannins and long, long finish. Time has worked its magic and now eminently satisfying, totally and deliciously drinkeable.

Food Matching

Roasted or grilled vegatables, meat, mushrooms and legumes, full-bodied cheeses.