Altesino

A Montalcino pioneer

The modern history of "Altesino" began in 1970, when Giulio Consonno purchased these lands and began to challenge established stereotypes. Consonno and his team were convinced that the traditional method of producing Brunello, which involves long aging in large, old barrels, dulled the wine’s fruitiness. So they began experimenting.

Two important dates are worth noting here. In 1975, "Altesino" carried out separate fermentation and aging of grapes from the Montosoli vineyard, leading to the creation of the first “cru” in the history of Brunello di Montalcino. In 1979, small French oak barrels (barriques) appeared in the cellar, this was the first such attempt in Montalcino. In 1977, as a result of a collaboration with master distiller Gioacchino Nannoni, “Grappa di Fattoria” was created, and the 1985 vintage was sold as a futures contract even before it reached the market. This was also the first initiative of its kind in Montalcino.

Since 2002, the winery has been owned by Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, who also owns the neighboring Tenuta Caparzo. Currently, the winemaking team is led by Paolo Caciorgna and includes Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci. The current owners’ policy is clear: “Don’t change what works well,” “preserve Montosoli's style unchanged,” and “quietly modernize the cellar equipment.”

Six parcels across Montalcino

"Altesino" cultivates a total of about 100 hectares of land, of which about 50 hectares are vineyards. The vineyards are spread across six plots, which is an unusual layout; however, this ensures a variety of elevations, sun exposure, and soil types within a single appellation.

• Altesino: located to the north, near the winery, at an elevation of 220-280 meters. Most of the plots face south, but there are also north-facing plots where Sangiovese is grown.
• Macina a Pianezzi: in the northeast, at an elevation of 250-280 meters, facing north. Sangiovese grapes are grown on clay-sand soils.
• Montosoli: Northwest, 5 hectares, elevation 275-300 meters above sea level, facing northwest. The soil is galestro.
• Cerbaia: located in the northwest and divided into a southwestern-facing plot with galestro soil and a small eastern-facing plot with clay soil
• Pianezzine: located in Sant’Angelo in Colle, at an elevation of 250 meters
• Velona: located in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the warmer southern part of Montalcino

Sangiovese is the predominant grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown for “Super Tuscan” wines; Trebbiano and Malvasia for “Vin Santo”; and Vermentino, Chardonnay, and Viognier for white wines.

Why Montosoli matters

Montosoli is the area that has made Altesino famous throughout the world, and its geological features explain why. This hill is located northwest of Montalcino, at a considerable elevation above sea level, and consists of alluvial and siliceous limestones from the Alberese Formation, mixed with pebbles from the same period. Simply put, it’s galestro, a shaly, loose soil that Tuscan Sangiovese loves so much. The Altesino owned vineyard faces northwest. Although this may seem counterintuitive in warm regions, it provides good sun exposure while cooling at night, resulting in a balance of ripeness and freshness. This together with its altitude, and soil composition is what has earned Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli a reputation as a wine distinguished more by elegance than by power. *Wine Spectator* magazine once called Montosoli "Italy's second most representative vineyard." Other areas of Montalcino are characterized by great diversity. The southern plots in Sant’Angelo-in-Colle and Castelnuovo dell'Abate have a warm climate, which gives the wine a more mature and rich fruit flavor. At the same time, the northern plots, located at higher elevations, provide the wine’s acidity. It is by blending grapes from these plots that this winery produces its single-varietal “Brunello” wine.

What's planted

Sangiovese is the primary grape variety and the very essence of this winery’s existence. In addition to Sangiovese, Altesino grows the following varieties:

• Sangiovese (for the “Brunello di Montalcino,” “Rosso di Montalcino,” and “Palazzo Altesi” wines)
• Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (blended with Sangiovese for the “Alte d’Altesi” and “Rosso di Toscana” wines)
• Tuscan Trebbiano and Malvasia (for the “Vin Santo” wine)
• Vermentino, Chardonnay, and Viognier (for the “Bianco di Altesino” wine)

Barriques, but with restraint

In 1979, the Altesino winery became the first in Montalcino to begin aging wine in barriques, though its goal was not to emphasize the oak flavor. Quite the opposite, in fact. The winery discovered that short-term aging in small French oak barrels allowed the fruit notes to develop more fully, soften the tannins, and achieve a better balance than the long aging in large, old barrels that was the standard at the time. The duration of barrel aging is intentionally limited so that the oak aroma does not overpower the wine’s flavor.

This style remains unchanged. Here, the focus is not on bold extraction, but on elegance and restraint, with an emphasis on extended aging. Attention is paid to every detail: the grapes are harvested by hand, rose bushes are planted at the beginning of each row (an old method for early detection of mold), and the “Montosoli” bottling has been produced separately since 1975.

The range

Altesino's wine selection ranges from Sangiovese in its purest form to “Super Tuscan” blends and Vin Santo. The cornerstone of the collection is Brunello di Montalcino, a wine from the estate’s own vineyard, created by blending grapes from different plots. “Rosso di Montalcino” is a younger wine made from Sangiovese. “Palazzo Altesi” is a “Super Tuscan”-style wine made from 100% Sangiovese, while “Alte d'Altesi” is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The lineup also includes “Rosso di Toscana,” “Bianco di Altesino”, made from Vermentino, Chardonnay, and Viognier, as well as Vin Santo. The wine that symbolizes this winery is “Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli.” This wine comes from a single vineyard growing on a northwestern-facing plot with galestro soil. Aged and bottled separately, it is a collector’s gem.