Gianni Brunelli – Brunello di Montalcino
“There are many ways to try to give meaning to one’s life. We try to make a wine so good that the drinker is filled with benevolence and friendship!”
This is the splendid yet simple goal of Laura Brunelli, owner of this exceptional, organic winery in Montalcino since the death of her beloved husband, Gianni, in 2008.
Situated just below Biondi Santi in the southeast of Montalcino, this classic estate comprises five vineyards with a total of seven hectares; 2.5 hectares on the north side of Montalcino (Le Chiuse di Sotto vineyard, planted in 1947 by Gianni Brunelli’s father) and 4.5 hectares around the winery on the south-east side, at Podernovone. From organically certified, healthy, ripe, perfectly balanced grapes, harvested at the right time and with a precise vinification, they produce some of the most beautiful wines in Montalcino.
The Cellar
In 2015, after great thought and work, Laura opened the Estate’s new winery at Podernovone. Cleverly designed to be minimalist and at the same time practical, the winery uses solar energy for its electricity and gravity to transport wines within the cellar from one stage of vinification to the next. The building is made with stone and the traditional Etruscan“Cocciopesto”, allowing it to breathe. A secret corridor surrounds the building, providing thermic isolation and keeping a stable temperature throughout the four seasons. The cellar is fully sustainable, combining technology and tradition.
Vinification
All grapes are sourced from their own vineyards and are of the highest quality. They are hand harvested, following a careful on-site selection, then undergo a and a final visual inspection on the sorting table. The yields are very low, so that quality is guaranteed. Vinification takes place separately for each plot in stainless steel tanks. There are no specific protocols, but it will always depend on the needs of each vintage. The one overarching rule is cleanliness and to maintain a stable temperature at 26-27°C. Extraction is prolonged but delicate, making sure the wines gain overt aromas, rich colour and the most elegant tannins. After the malolactic fermentation, the wines from each plot will age separately in casks made of Slavonian oak, from 5 to 30hl. The slow and prolonged ageing in the oak cask cellar allows the wine to clarify naturally without the need of external intervention, thus requiring only a very light filtration before bottling.
People – Gianni & Laura
Gianni was born in Montalcino, became Sienese, then returned to Montalcino in 1987 to start the winery. Laura was born in Sardinia near to the glorious Arborea di Eleonora. Laura left when she was eighteen. To pay for her studies in biology she remained in the service of a family. One day when she was in Piazza del Campo, a young man – Gianni – asked her for a cigarette. Although they gave up smoking several times, they stayed together for the next thirty years! In 1989 they started a restaurant and small hotel in Siena. Thirty years later l’Osteria delle Logge had become a mythical destination for the Sienese and for travellers from all over the world..
