2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino (750ml)

Sangiovese from Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

B-21 Top Recommendation
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"Robust and powerful from the start"

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate

Garnering rare unanimous acclaim from critics across the board, the impressive 93 pt. 2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino offers lush layers of ripe silky red fruit hinting of wild herbs and balanced by graphite-tinged acidity, a beautifully crafted, top value Brunello that’s bargain priced to enjoy often over the next decade and beyond.

Winding through the Tuscan countryside along the rutted unfinished white roads known as strade bianche, visitors travelling to Castiglion del Bosco pass through a stone gateway onto smooth blacktop, arriving at one of Tuscany’s most exclusive resorts with expertly restored medieval buildings and Italy’s only private golf course designed to seamlessly blend into the rolling hills. Situated in the stunning Val d’Orcia landscape with incredible vistas at every turn, Castiglion del Bosco’s majestic panoramic view stands out as one of the region’s most impressive, the massive 2,000 hectare estate home to an equally impressive producer of Brunello di Montalcino with 62 hectares of organically farmed vineyards. Located just a few miles northwest of the town of Montalcino with a history dating back over 1,000 years, Castiglion del Bosco was purchased by Massimo and Chiara Ferragamo from the renowned family of fashion designers in 2003, transforming the estate and restoring its steep vineyards, among the highest in the region that boast expansive views reaching to the ocean. Sourced from the 42-hectare southwest-facing Capanna vineyard, the low-yielding Sangiovese vines for the 2018 Castiglion del Bosco are planted in a mix of clay shale and gravelly galestro rock at altitudes between 350 and 400 meters above sea level, surrounded by a biodiverse array of dense forest, open meadows and olive groves. After vinifying in stainless steel, winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi aged the richly textured 2018 Castiglion del Bosco for 24 months in used French oak utilizing mostly larger casks and a third smaller barriques followed by over two years in bottle, yielding fresh, aromatic fruit and vibrant acidity “with a firm grip of tannins on the finish” that will continue to evolve for over a decade according to the Wine Spectator’s Bruce Sanderson.

Reflecting its northwestern Montalcino terroir “in a wonderfully balanced way” according to Eric Guido of Vinous, the enticing 93 pt. 2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino is crafted in a silky, elegant style that calls for another pour, ranking among the vintage’s most successful and top scoring reds and bargain priced for Brunello collectors and lovers to pull the cork without hesitation.

93V

93WS

93WE

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91W&S

A dusty blend of cedary spice, mentholated herbs, rose petals and sour cherry wafts up from the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s round and supple in feel, with floral-laced red and black fruits complemented by a subtle tinge of sweet spice. This leaves a bitter twang of sour berries, while a burst of residual acidity adds a cheek-puckering freshness, and a gentle tug of tannin slowly recedes. The 2018 has improved each time I’ve tasted it in the last five months, and it now shows the ruggedness of Northwestern Montalcino Sangiovese, but in a wonderfully balanced way.

93 points, Eric Guido, Vinous (Dec 2022)

Starts out rich, with a touch of glycerol in the texture, before civilized tannins take over on the finish. Offers plum, cherry, earth, tobacco and iron notes that prevail, with a firm grip of tannins on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2043. 15,000 cases made, 6,000 cases imported.

93 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (Jun 2023)

The nose puts cherries front and center, intertwined with roses with heavier tar and graphite, before umami flavors of mushroom, balsamic vinegar, seaweed and soy slowly emerge. On the chalky palate, dark chocolate pushes up against the showboating cherries before a kick of spice sets up a long, energetic finish.

93 points, Danielle Callegari, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2023)

Ripe berries and hints of red licorice and herbs on the nose, following through to a medium-bodied palate with fine, tightly packed tannins and a taut finish for now. Give it two years to unwind a bit. Try from 2025.

93 points, James Suckling (Jan 2023)

This 2018 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino shows plenty of sophisticated and subtle oak with coffee, spice, cedar, and cream notes on the nose. On the palate it is a very firm, robust style with chewy tannins that linger on the finish. There is medium concentration in the middle of red cherry and tart cherry fruit. It is quite an assertive style, but it feels a little less concentrated in the middle than usual, but it is still very well put together. This estate in the northern part of the Montalcino DOCG is the passionate project of one of Italy’s famous fashion designers Massimo Ferragamo and a luxury hotel is part of the property.

93 points, Susan Hulme, Wine Independent (Feb 2023)

In the far northwest of Montalcino, the expansive Castiglion del Bosco estate sprawls over several hills of varying altitude, exposure and terrain. From 42 hectares designated for Brunello comes this impressive 150,000-bottle production. Rather than exploding with fragrance, the 2018 unveils its evocative floral scents slowly. These reach a crescendo on the palate, melding seamlessly with cheerful pure pomegranate and cherry flavours. Supple tannins are velvety in texture. Unforced and fluid, this is hard to resist now.

93 points, Michaela Morris, Decanter (Nov 2022)

Robust and powerful from the start, the Castiglion del Bosco 2018 Brunello di Montalcino shows broad shoulders and ample brawn. But at the end of the day, the wine's concentration remains on the medium to medium-rich side of the spectrum. It stays firmly within the boundaries of Sangiovese. Dark fruit and blackcurrant segue to savory notes of toasted spice, black olive, earth and rusty nail. This is an ample production of 180,000 bottles.

92 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Mar 2023)

Notes of singed orange peel and bay leaf accent rich, dark cherry flavors in this spicy Brunello. Tangy acidity keeps the flavors aloft as the wine gains savory hints and a pronounced ferrous note.

91 points, Wine & Spirits (Apr 2023)

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$49.98

60+ bottles in stock. Ships in 1 to 2 business days.

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