Name: "Ugolforte" Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020
Brand: San Giorgio
SKU: S8829
Price: 40.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

CHARACTERISTICS

TypeVino rosso fermo
Location Tuscany

Grapes Sangiovese 00%

Sensations Deep ruby red with slight garnet reflections, on the nose it expresses all the typicity of the finest Brunellos, with particularly broad aromas recalling first jammy fruit such as cherry and plum, followed by mint, sweet tobacco and cocoa. On the palate it is harmonious, smooth and enveloping, showing its remarkable class through impeccable balance and rare elegance. It closes with a lightly spicy note and a long-lasting finish.

Vinification Produced from the finest grapes grown in the vineyards of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, San Giorgio’s Brunello di Montalcino is a red wine whose fermentation takes place in large steel tanks, with extended skin contact. It is then matured for twelve months in first and second passage barriques followed by a further two years in large Slavonian oak casks. The result is a wine of great class, both enveloping and lively. A textbook Brunello. The name Ugolforte comes from a famous brigand who, in the 12th century, led the people of Montalcino against Sienese occupation.

Alcoholic strength 13.5% vol

Allergens Contains sulphites

TASTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Tips Store in a cool place, away from light, bottle lying down. Do not refrigerate. Open at least 15 minutes before serving
Serving temperature 18 grades
GlassGran Balon / Borgogna
When to drink it over 10 years
Pairing Meat menu

VINEYARD

Terrain The soil is poor and rocky, mainly composed of clay and tuff, mixed with sandstone and galestro
Exposure and altitude South-East
Breeding method Spur-pruned cordon
Planting density 4000

PRODUCTION NOTES

ITALY
COLLEMASSARI SPA - SOC. AGRICOLA - LOC. POGGI DEL SASSO SNC CINIGIANO (GR 58044)

"Ugolforte" Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020

In the 12th century, a brigand named Ugolforte led the people of Montalcino in revolt against the Sienese. Today, that proud and untamed character lives on in a glass that accepts no compromise, a symbol of a land that can be both harsh and generous at the same time. But let’s proceed step by step. We are in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the south-eastern area of Montalcino. Here, the vineyards of Tenuta San Giorgio benefit from a unique microclimate: Mount Amiata shields the vines from the most intense weather disturbances, while sea breezes rise from the coast, ensuring constant ventilation. The soil is rich in stones and galestro, a combination that forces the roots of Sangiovese to dig deep in search of nutrients. This effort of the vine translates in the glass into a minerality and structure that are the hallmark of wines from this slope. Tenuta San Giorgio interprets the Brunello tradition through organic farming. Sangiovese, of course in purity, achieves perfect phenolic ripeness in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, ensuring a wine that is never just about power but plays strongly on finesse and ageing potential. The ageing of this red is a true exercise in patience. The wine initially rests for twelve months in first and second passage barriques, where it acquires sweet and spicy notes. It then spends a further two years in large Slavonian oak casks. This double ageing serves to tame the strength of Sangiovese, making it more velvety without ever masking the fruit. Deep, dark ruby red with slight garnet reflections hinting at maturity, on the nose it is an explosion of typical aromas, starting from cherry and plum jam and opening up to fresher notes of mint. With some oxygenation, sweet tobacco and bitter cocoa also emerge. On the palate, the entry is enveloping and harmonious. The sip is smooth and reveals incredible class, supported by a balance that is truly impressive. The finish is extremely long and recalls noble spices. This Brunello has remarkable ageing potential, easily exceeding 15 to 20 years if properly stored. Its acidic structure and the quality of its tannins allow it to improve season after season, refining its aromatic complexity. At the table, it should be paired with intense dishes such as Brunello-braised meat or aged Pecorino from Pienza.

In the heart of one of the most iconic wine regions in the world, where Sangiovese reaches its highest expression, stands Tenuta San Giorgio. We are in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, on the south-eastern slope of the municipality of Montalcino. Here, the vineyards climb steep hills at around 400 metres above sea level, overlooking the Val d’Orcia like a natural terrace and facing directly towards the peaks of Mount Amiata. Founded in 1982, the estate underwent a key turning point in 2016 when it became part of the ColleMassari group owned by Claudio Tipa. This acquisition was not merely a change of ownership, but the meeting of a historic estate with a production philosophy centred on elegance and sustainability. Today, Tenuta San Giorgio is a winery that has chosen the path of organic certification (officially obtained in 2019), driven by the belief that a great Brunello cannot be separated from the health of the land that produces it. What makes the estate’s wines special is the extraordinary variety of its soils. Of the total 142 hectares, only 28 are planted with vines, while the rest is woodland and olive groves: a biodiversity reservoir that protects the vineyards and regulates the microclimate. In the cellar, the guiding principle is to avoid modern shortcuts and return to the purest tradition. For this reason, fermentation takes place slowly in concrete tanks and ageing continues for years in large Slavonian oak casks. An approach that requires patience but allows the wood to accompany the wine without ever overpowering it, preserving the typical aromas of sour cherry, tobacco and spices of Sangiovese.