Castiglion del Bosco - Brunello di Montalcino DOCG - Cru Campo del Drago - 2021

Beautiful 95/100 points Cru Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from the five-star vintage 2021

A ruby-red wine with vibrant sparkles. The nose offers intense aromas of Mediterranean herbs, juniper, flowers, black pepper, mint, berries, and cherries. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, powerful, and complex, with a very long, lingering finish and velvety tannins.

The grapes for this Cru Brunello come from the highest, rocky part of the Capanna vineyard, located northwest of Montalcino. The name "Campo del Drago" comes from the shape of the ditch that borders it, which, in the eyes of the farmers, resembles that of a dragon's tail. The first vintage marketed as Cru was 1999. The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 430 meters. It was planted in 1988 with 5,600 vines per hectare. The vineyard faces east. The total area of ​​the vineyard is 1.5 hectares.

The grapes are carefully selected and harvested by hand in September. Fermentation takes place with natural yeasts in large steel vats for 15 to 20 days. The wine is aged for 24 months in large 30 and 50 hectoliter French oak barrels. The wine then matures for a further 12 months in unglazed concrete vats. After this, the wine is bottled and matures in the bottle for a further 8 to 12 months in the estate's cellars.

About Castiglione del Bosco:
The history of Castiglion del Bosco dates back to 1100 AD, amidst armed conflict between prominent Sienese families who settled here. Agriculture has always been a mainstay, as evidenced by the stables, olive groves, farmland, and vineyards. More recently, in 1967, Castiglion del Bosco became a founding member of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium. Castiglion del Bosco began a new chapter in 2003 when it was transformed by Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo into its current splendor. Castiglion del Bosco has gained worldwide recognition for its excellent wines. In 2022, Castiglion del Bosco began a new chapter in its history with the transfer to an international family office, which will ensure the continuity and development of the entire estate.

95/100 points James Suckling

A rich yet tense wine with blueberry, cherry, plum and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a bright finish. A little tight now, but it opens with aeration and shows velvety tannins and a pretty finish. Needs a year or two to open. Try after 2027.