The rigid rules for making Brunello di Montalcino – 100 % Sangiovese, minimum ageing for at least 48 months, of which 24 of them in barrels, before release – has been the prime motivation for officials to create the Rosso di Montalcino designation in the 1980s.
The press soon coined these – also pure Sangiovese but with one year ageing – baby Brunello, since many provided the character of a thoroughbred wine with a more fleshier fruit profile and 30-50% off the price tag. Today a good Rosso di Montalcino will certainly compare to premium Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montalcino, similar expressions of Sangiovese.
Collemattoni takes its name from the farmhouse, which, over time, has become the trademark of the winery and wines. The farmhouse dates back to at least 1672, a year in which it is registered in the parish archives as a family home. The house style can be meaty and rich in certain vintages with pronounced cherry, strawberry and floral aromas. Organic certification has been achieved in 2012, and a new winery building operational in 2015.
Their Rosso di Montalcino exudes great character; the fruitiness of a young wine with the intensity that only this terroir is capable of. Serve it with salami, middle ripe cheeses, first courses (mushroom soups, risotto and pasta dishes) and not hugely complex recipes including poultry or red meat.
Decanter Magazine rates the 2015 “Pale ruby shade. Floral Sangiovese nose. Firmly structured on the palate with tight-knit natural tannins, precise fruit and a long grippy finish. Nervy thoroughbred” and 94 points.
