Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesThere’s real finesse and focus to this red with floral, berry and wet-earth undertones on the nose and palate. Full body, integrated tannins and a long and focused finish. Shows a linear and precise palate. Excellent. Drink now or hold.
Tenute Silvio Nardi farms some very interesting vineyard sites on the northern side of the appellation. Of these sites, the Manachiara vineyard is very distinctive. Cool nighttime temperatures and diurnal shifts add to the sharpness and definition of this pretty wine. From a warm vintage, the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara benefits from its cool microclimate. The bouquet opens to wild rose and cherry, but there is a unique mineral tone that recalls slate or crushed granite. Subtle spice and milled white pepper give length and complexity to this beautifully balanced Brunello. This is a terrific wine from the lovely 2015 vintage. Rating: 95+
Rich and dense, featuring sweet, ripe black cherry, plum and earth flavors. The immediate gratification is swept away by dense and muscular, yet refined, tannins. The sweet fruit returns on the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2040.
The Manachiara vineyard is in the eastern reaches of Montalcino. Its name, which translates as 'clear morning', references the morning sun which bathes the southeast-facing plot. With altitudes reaching 450 metres, this warm site is tempered by refreshing breezes and cool nights. The 2015 demonstrates the power and concentration typical of this cru along with the ripe fruit of the vintage. It is still reserved and the palate slightly oak-driven. Nevertheless this is polished and finishes with enticing iron-like nuances. Needs some time to come together. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032
Ripe berry, dark spice, coconut and toasted notes form the nose. The full-bodied is palate is shy on fruit richness, evoking dried cherry, star anise and roasted coffee bean alongside dense, close-grained tannins that leave a drying close. Drink 2022–2027.
Tenute Silvio Nardi consists of 80 hectares of vineyards in an unspoiled part of central Tuscany: Montalcino, whose symbol is its great red wine, Brunello. Silvio Nardi founded the estate here at Casale del Bosco; since 1985 it has been run by his youngest daughter, Emilia.
Emilia Nardi knows she can depend on Casale's special and distinctive territory to produce a contemporary and elegant Brunello. She has invested single-mindedly in the vineyards in this harmonious natural setting - as any tasting of her fine wines will attest. Each of her signature wines expresses the differing character of Sangiovese when it is grown at Montalcino.
The estate's vineyards are situated between 140 and 420 meters above sea level: some extend north-west of Montalcino on the hills around Casale del Bosco, while others are located to the north of it at Tenuta di Bibbiano and to the south-east at Manachiara, where the precious cru of the same name originates.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.