Brunello Di Montalcino

Serve with red meats, game and strong cheeses.

Founded in 1971 by Giovanni Neri who with his great vision and passion understood the huge potential of wine in the Montalcino territory it was passed on to his son Giacomo in 1991. Casanova di Neri does in fact stands for the Casanova Estate of the Neri Family. The production started in the Eastern part of Montalcino and was extended later in other areas. First came the Cerretalto vineyard a unique terroir in a natural amphitheatre over the Asso river in which the old vines produced a Sangiovese different from the others with small bunches of well-distanced grapes from which a selective variety was grown that was used in our other vineyards particularly in Tenuta Nuova. The acquisition of Cerretalto was followed by that of Le Cetine Pietradonice and then Podernovo. All this by researching the best soil and exposures so as to produce unique and recognizable wines. The first Brunello harvest was 1978. This was followed by Cerretalto1981 Rosso di Montalcino 1982 Tenuta Nuova 1993 Pietradonice 2000 IrRosso di Casanova di Neri and the last one Ibbianco 2011. In the course of our small yet at the same time great history, we have received awards from the most important reviews and opinion leaders of national and international wine critics. Currently, the estate covers a surface of around 500 hectares of which 63 are vineyards 20 olive groves and the rest arable land and forest.

The Casanova di Neri vineyards, set on the various slopes of Montalcino, are influenced by radical differences in soil, microclimate and surrounding vegetation, while maintaining a maximum separation of just one kilometer. The grapes for Brunello “White Label” are harvested during the first 2 weeks of September. Brunello “White Label” is born in vineyards that look to Montalcino from the east, at an altitude which varies from 350 to 480 metres above sea level.

By law, Brunello di Montalcino has to spend an ageing period of at least 24 months in oak barrels and can be released for sale only after 5 years have elapsed since the grape harvest. Brunello “White Label” is matured in big barrels for 42 months, followed by six months in the bottle, Tenuta Nuova matures for 30 months in oak casks and 18 months in the bottle, Cerretalto spends 27 months in small barrels and 30 months in the bottle.

After the grapes are harvested, exclusively by hand, the bunches are taken to the cellar, where they are inspected on the sorting table to remove any parts considered unsuitable for the high quality to be reached. Subsequently a machine removes the stalk from the grapes, which drop onto another sorting table. The selected grapes are then taken by gravity to tanks, where the vinification process begins. Fermentation and Maceration last approximately 21 days.