Wine Advisor
Conti Costanti, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
High-toned aromatics lead to a firm, taut expression of fruit in Costanti’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino. Wild herbs, red cherries, tobacco and flowers are just some of the nuances that emerge from this chiseled, traditionally-made Brunello. The wine possesses gorgeous length and finessed tannins that provide lovely balance. Today the wine is clenched and unexpressive, but it should come together in bottle. That said, numerous bottles of this Brunello have failed to deliver the magic I found when I tasted the wine from tank prior to bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. My recent visit with Andrea Costanti was illuminating, as I had the opportunity to taste a number of lots of his Brunellos from cask and tank. At their best, these are some of the most elegant, refined wines being made in Montalcino. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900
About the Producer
Costanti is one of the finest estates in Montalcino, producing very high-quality Brunellos that are elegant, complex and extremely long-lived. Andrea Costanti runs it in collaboration with consultant oenologist Vittorio Fiore. The estate is situated in Colle al Matrieche in the eastern zone of the Montalcino district and the 7 hectares of vineyards are located on a high ridge 400 metres above sea level. At harvest time Costanti employs a rigorous selection process which ensures that only the finest quality fruit is used. His Brunellos are typically backward, dense and fairly impenetrable in their youth. They require bottle ageing to show at their finest and, when fully mature, they are amongst the richest and most harmonious wines in the district, displaying copious amounts of dark cherry and blackberry fruit, bolstered by svelte and elegant tannins.
