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: 2012 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

2012 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

SKU #1363664 100 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark Heady scents of chopped herbs, woodland berry, forest floor, new leather, dark spice and violet are just some of the aromas you’ll find on this fragrant wine. It’s savory and loaded with finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, orange zest and pipe tobacco alongside firm yet polished tannins and fresh acidity. A tangy mineral note graces the lingering finish. It’s still young and needs plenty of time to fully unwind and develop. *Cellar Selection* (KO) Inner quote mark (2/2018)

97 points Wine & Spirits

Outer quote mark A historic estate located just east of the town of Montalcino, Conti Costanti delivered a gorgeous riserva in 2012. The flavors of red and black cherry are fresh and vibrant for this warm vintage, the flavors cooled by firm, ferrous tannins. The wine aged for 18 months in French oak tonneaux, followed by another year and a half in large Slavonian casks, allowing the flavors to knit together. Notes of coriander and clove amp up the fruit tones, adding verve to the polished, velvety texture. The finish is long and energetic as the flavors continue expanding long after the wine is gone. Inner quote mark (4/2019)

96 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Dark, warming and seductive in the glass, the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva entrances with masses of cherry and plum sauce offset by cloves, hints of blood orange and a dusting of violet candies. Its textures are like crushed velvet, weighty yet refined, with a wave of ripe red and hints of blue fruit that coast along a core of energizing acidity. A tart twang of sour citrus adds further gravitas, as grippy tannins tug at the palate; and yet the mouth continues to water, as salty mineral tones and hints of red licorice slowly fade. This is a towering expression of the vintage, which will continue to impress for many years to come. I’m not sure how it’s possible, but the 2012 Riserva seems to get better every time I revisit it. (EG) Inner quote mark (10/2022)

K&L Notes

98 points Ian D'Agata for Vinous: "Vivid deep red. Musky, deep, mineral-tinged aromas of red cherry, violet and crystallized orange peel. Sweet, lush and packed with red fruit, blood orange nectar and savory underbrush flavors; a step up in sheer size from Costanti’s 2013 Brunello. At once powerful and refined, this seriously saturates the palate with flavor, vibrant minerality and noble tannins. This is everything a great Brunello ought to be." (4/2018)

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2012 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Price: $129.99

Quantity:

WE: 100

W&S: 97

VN: 96

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Additional Information:

Varietal:

Sangiovese

- The most widely planted grape in Italy is Sangiovese, a high-acid grape with moderate to high tannins, apparent earthiness and subtle fruit. It is thought to have originated in Tuscany and its name, which translates to "blood of Jove," leads historians to believe it may date all the way back to the Etruscan period, though historical mentions only go as far back as the early 1700s. Though planted all over modern Italy, the most significant wines made from Sangiovese still come from Tuscany: Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese must make up 75% of a blend from the Chianti DOCG t be labeled as such, traditionally allowing for Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia for the remainder, though more recently small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot have been allowed. In Brunello di Montalcino the wine must be made entirely of Sangiovese. Prugnolo is Montepulciano's name for Sangiovese, and it is used there for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. In the DOC of Carmignano Sangiovese can be blended with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also Super Tuscans, IGT wines that blend Sangiovese with large proportions of Cabernet or Merlot. Elsewhere in Italy it is a workhorse grape, though it does find some success (though not the longevity) in the Montefalco and Torgiano wines of Umbria as well as the foundation of Rosso Piceno and a significant element of Rosso Conero from the Marches. Like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese has struggled to find footing outside of Italy, though in recent years California wineries have been having better fortune with grape plantings in the Sierra Foothills/El Dorado County, as well as Sonoma County and the Central Coast.

Country:

Italy

- Once named Enotria for its abundant vineyards, Italy (thanks to the ancient Greeks and Romans) has had an enormous impact on the wine world. From the shores of Italy, the Romans brought grapes and their winemaking techniques to North Africa, Spain and Portugal, Germany, France, the Danube Valley, the Middle East and even England. Modern Italy, which didn't actually exist as a country until the 1870s, once produced mainly simple, everyday wine. It wasn't until the 1970s that Italy began the change toward quality. The 1980s showed incredible efforts and a lot of experimentation. The 1990s marked the real jump in consistent quality, including excellence in many Region that had been indistinct for ages. The entire Italian peninsula is seeing a winemaking revolution and is now one of the most exciting wine Region in the world.

Sub-Region:

Tuscany

Specific Appellation:

Brunello di Montalcino

- Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes from a specific clone called "Brunello" in the town of Montalcino. Situated in the southwestern part of Tuscany the town of Montalcino sits on a ridge about 400 feet above the Eastern plain. This ridge divides the region into three diverse growing areas. The northeastern part produces wines with brighter fruit, more cherry and high tone notes and somewhat leaner body. The southeastern portion often referred to, as the "Golden Triangle" is the home of Biondi Santi, the family who invented Brunello and championed its production for half a century before anyone else. This region produces wines with rich body, deep ripe cherry to plum fruit with lots of earth and spice. The third portion is the southwesterly facing slope which is the warmest (hence the ripest grapes), consistently producing wines with more breadth and richness. At the turn of this century, there were more than 150 growers who produce the 233,000 cases annually from the 2863 acres inscribed to Brunello.

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