Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino 2020

Salvioni Brunello 2020, the Sangiovese of Cerbaiola

I recommend this Brunello for the precision of its origin and the care taken in its aging: a Sangiovese from the hillsides of Montalcino, grown organically and aged for a long time in wood. The 2020 vintage carries the DOCG Brunello di Montalcino designation. Here, the interest lies as much in the artisanal work of the small Azienda Cerbaiola as in the patience required before the wine is offered.

The hillsides of Montalcino and the spirit of Cerbaiola

Azienda Cerbaiola is a family estate in Montalcino, run by Mireia and Giulio Salvioni. Production, deliberately limited, ranges between 8,000 and 13,000 bottles per year. The vines that produce this Brunello are between 10 and 25 years old and grow on galestro soils, at an altitude between 420 and 440 meters. The estate works according to ecological practices, without chemical products, and favors artisanal methods. A cellar located at the edge of the vineyards is used for vinification, while another space is devoted to aging.

After spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine is vinified in stainless steel tanks for about 28 to 30 days, with frequent pump-overs. It then spends 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks of 18 to 22 hectoliters, with medium toasting, before continuing to age in bottle for five years before release. These steps are well documented, but the available information does not give detailed notes on the color, the nose or the flavors on the palate: I therefore prefer not to invent descriptors. The announced profile leans more toward spice than fruit, with moderate wood presence and a medium-range body. These indications give a general reference, without replacing a tasting.

At the table, taking time and without rushing

At the table, this Brunello can accompany red or white meats, aged cheeses and mushrooms. I readily picture it with a slow-braised meat dish, or a plate of mushrooms and cheeses served during a meal where you take your time. The length of its aging invites you to open it for a chosen occasion, without making it a wine reserved for grand ceremonies: an attentive dinner is enough. If you appreciate Sangiovese and the reds of Montalcino shaped by extended aging, this cuvée offers a concrete way to approach the work of Cerbaiola and its expression of terroir.