La Colombina Brunello di Montalcino, 2019, Tuscany, Italy

Region Tuscany Country Italy Type Red Grape Sangiovese Style Full-bodied and elegant ABV 14.5% Closure Cork Method Sustainable Not a wine to be hurried. Grapes are ripened in the warm Tuscan sun before being slowly macerated, fermented and then aged for up to forty months in oak, which is longer than legally required for even vintage Champagne or single malt whisky. This laid-back slow cooking gives this classic Sangiovese its depth and complexity. Its freshness and meaty structure mean that it will continue to improve over the next decade and beyond. The Caselli family have been stewards for generations of this quality-driven mixed farm based in the southern Montalcino Cru of Castelnuovo dell' Abate. In 1997 La Colombina converted to specialist wine growing with the planting of 3 hectares and released their first wines in 2001. Gloriously perfumed and elegant Brunello, just like it should be.