ORGANIC BRUNELLO 2021 BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI
A YEAR THAT STARTED BADLY, WITH A LIGHT SPRING FROST, BUT ENDED WELL WITH AN EXTENDED RIPENING PERIOD THAT GIVES US A BRUNELLO FOR LONG AGEING .
Montalcino, Toscana, 2021 harvest Casato Prime Donne
Casato Prime Donne is usually the first to harvest Brunello grapes, but in 2021, it was among the last to harvest in Montalcino.
This is a very strange year, beginning with the disappointment of the frost that struck all of Europe’s vineyards. In our vineyards, it burned the tips of the first shoots and delayed the opening of those that were still covered when the cold wind arrived. This had two effects: a reduction in grape production and uneven ripening. Indeed, bud break marks the beginning of a vegetative cycle that lasts about six months. The 20-day gap between the first and last shoots resulted in uneven ripening. The result was a very labour-intensive harvest, requiring us to harvest each parcel separately and even go through the same vineyard multiple times, selecting bunch by bunch. This was a painstaking task, entirely done by hand by the pickers.
2021: THE LONG, CAREFUL, AND SPECTACULAR BRUNELLO HARVEST
Most of the harvest was therefore postponed to the end of September.
The bunches resembled those of Pinot Noir: small, open, and with miniature berries.
The heat and drought were also severe, with only two rains totalling 31 mm of rain from June to September, and peaks of over 40°C mid-August. However, paradoxically, the Sangiovese vines ripened in perfect health. The extraordinary resilience of Sangiovese stems from its millennia-old history in this area. Its DNA contains the effects of the Roman optimum, when temperatures were warmer than today, as well as the small glaciations of the Middle Ages and the 19th century.
The 2021 harvest was therefore poor in grapes but the 2021 Brunello will delight lovers of long-aging reds, as always happens when the ripening phase takes place in a period with cold nights, as happened this year
CASATO PRIME DONNE MONTALCINO
Donatella Cinelli Colombini‘s ancestors owned the Casato Prime Donne estate in the late 16th century. Besides farming, they also went there for hunting and honeymoons. The property remained in the family for centuries, and in recent decades it belonged to Donatella’s grandmother and then to her mother, and Donatella will pass it on to her daughter Violante. This female succession makes it the ideal location for the Prime Donne project. The winery is the first in Italy with an all-female staff and funds the award dedicated to Montalcino and female talent.
40 hectares, half of which are planted with Sangiovese vines, trained organically using the spurred cordon system. Casato Prime Donne is located in the northeast area of Montalcino at an altitude of 225 meters above sea level. The soils vary greatly, but always feature a significant presence of marine sand and clay.
PRODUCTION DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANIC BRUNELLO 2021
TYPE: Dry red.
PRODUCTION AREA: Tuscany, Montalcino, Casato Prime Donne
CLIMATE: Light frost in early April, long dry spell with only two showers from June to September, and hot spells in August. September was particularly favourable, with sunny days (29°C) and cool nights (15°C).
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% organically grown Sangiovese.
HARVEST: September 20th – October 4th. Manual harvest with careful selection of the bunches in the vineyard and the berries on the sorting table in the cellar.
VINIFICATION: In bare, truncated cone-shaped concrete vats with open caps, punching down the cap, and automatic temperature control.
BARREL AGEING: 2 years in 5-7 hectolitre French tonneaux and oak barrels. At the end of the barrel ageing the wine was not filtered.
QUANTITY PRODUCED: 38,900 bottles
SENSORY DESCRIPTION AND SERVING SUGGESTION FOR BRUNELLO 2021
COLOUR: Bright ruby red. The wine’s solid structure is evident in the slow swirling in the glass.
AROMA: An intoxicating, pure, clean aroma with fine, spicy notes and hints of wildflowers.
TASTE: Harmonious, it unfolds like heavy silk velvet on the palate, unfolding an intensity full of satisfying sensations and a long finish.
FOOD PAIRING: A gastronomic wine that pairs well with rich dishes such as roasts, aged cheeses, and game.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Room temperature (16-18°C). Use large, clear crystal glasses. It’s best to uncork the bottle an hour before serving and decant it, taking care to allow for thorough oxygenation.
CELLARING: 20 years and more. Store bottles flat in a cool, dark place. Replace the cork in Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s cellar when the liquid has reached the shoulder of the bottle (around 2036).