Padelletti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016

Padelletti is a name written into the fabric of Montalcino history: generations of Padellettis have served as defenders of the fortress, university professors, landholders, and winemakers for centuries. The vineyard holdings that Carlo Augusto Padelletti inherited in the nineteenth century, on the north side of the village sloping down from the castle, were already well established for their Brunello harvests. Nevertheless, Carlo Augusto found time—in between his other endeavors as judge, physician, and electricity innovator—to develop the estate. The Padelletti winery still operates out of an ancient building in the maze of narrow streets toward the edge of the village of Montalcino, and their wines still age in the cellar below the building. All of their wines come from one organically-farmed four-hectare plot. The vines used for the Brunello average more than 30 years old. Fermentation takes place in glass-lined cement tanks, with a maceration of about three weeks, followed by two years’ aging in Slavonian oak and an additional year of bottle aging. Classic Brunello flavors of bright red berries with earthy leather and dried rose petal add up to beautiful complexity and depth. Decant to drink soon, or keep this bottle for at least a couple more years to see the tannin meld into the structure of this elegant wine. Certified organic, vegan.