Conti Costanti - Brunello di Montalcino 2018 (750ml)
Price: $129.99
| Producer | Conti Costanti |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Varietal | Sangiovese Grosso |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Sku | 206304 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Conti Costanti Description
The noble Costanti family goes back a long way – at least to Renaissance times.
One of several famous counts, Costanti – Tito – was both a lawyer and a winemaker, and anticipated the present DOCG and DOC denominations. Not only was he one of the very first to use the name Brunello for Montalcino red wines, but the methods he employed were strikingly similar to those used for Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino today.
Costanti Brunellos, however, were jealously guarded wines until the early 1960s, circulating solely among the owners’ friends and family. This changed with Count Emilio Costanti, physician and grape-grower, who first put the family name on the wine map. Dr. Costanti was dedicated to maximizing the winery’s potential and was the first to release Brunello vintages to the public.
Having no children of his own, Emilio Costanti traced the sole living descendant of the ancient Sienese family and found Andrea Costanti, a fresh graduate in geology from the University of Siena.
Andrea has been making highly-rated Montalcino classics ever since then, even receiving a perfect 100 points from Kerin O’Keefe for his Brunello di Montalcino 2019. His main goal is to craft exquisite wines, with full respect for the tradition and terroir of Colle Matrichese.
Tasting Note: Complex, intense nose of great finesse and elegance. Aromas of red flowers and balsamic notes. Intense, layered palate with red fruit and spicy nuances. Fresh acidity, citrus notes, and fine yet firm tannic texture. Broad, persistent finish. Excellent aging potential.
Vinous: 94 Points
The bouquet on the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is just as extroverted as ever. An array of cloves, cinnamon sticks, dried flowers and spiced orange rinds give way to crushed black cherries. This switches gears on the palate, lifted and refined with cooling acidity and crisp wild berry fruits framed by a core of saline minerals that add a savory edge. It leaves the palate reeling with zesty tension as the mouth salivates for more, and a tart cranberry concentration puckers the cheeks. Costanti's 2018 remains atypical of the vintage, with a mix of high acidity and low alcohol that keeps the glass in constant motion.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
This wine displays a dark garnet color that suggests a robust and savory wine to follow. Indeed, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino does reveal a rather austere approach with dried fruit, blackcurrant and fig. I wish there was just a hint more fresh fruitiness to those aromas, but the wine has already veered toward an evolved stage. This prompts me to suggest a shorter drinking window. There is a hint of dryness to the tannins, and the acidity is welcome.
