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The Cru Artisan College Study Guide 7 Excerpts taken from the Italian Wine Scholar Manual CASTELLO BANFI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Sangiovese REGION/ DENOMINATION: Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG VINEYARDS: Estate vineyards on the southern hills of Montalcino feature stony, calcareous, and well-structured soil at an altitude of 720 feet above sea level. WINEMAKING: A meticulous grape selection is followed by vinification with skin contact for 10–12 days. Released in the fifth year after harvest, the wine is aged for a minimum of four years, including two years in oak barrels of various sizes—mainly French oak barriques and partly in Slavonian oak casks. 1988 VINTAGE NOTES: The climactic conditions are almost perfect. Light spring showers and a warm and sunny summer followed by a dry autumn allows for an ideal harvest.. CASTELLO BANFI "POGGIO ALLE MURA" BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Sangiovese REGION/ DENOMINATION: Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG VINEYARDS: A cru of select vineyards sur- round the medieval Castello Banfi, historically known as Poggio alle Mura (the walled hilltop), in the southern part of Montalcino. WINEMAKING: Grapes are fermented in stain- less steel with traditional mac- eration before they age for a minimum of four years, including at least 24 months in oak (90% in French barriques and 10% in Slavonian casks) and 24 months of bottle-aging before release. CASTELLO BANFI "POGGIO ALLE MURA" RISERVA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Sangiovese REGION/ DENOMINATION: Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG VINEYARDS: Dedicated vineyards sloping down from the historic Poggio alle Mura Castle crown the estate, which is particularly suited to growing Sangiovese. The vineyard, planted in 1992, is the result of more than a decade of research in which optimal clone selection produces consistently-outstanding Brunello di Montalcino. One of the distinguishing characteristics of Brunello di Montalcino, which must be produced from 100% Sangiovese, is its long aging requirements. They're the longest in Italy: As required by law, the wines must be aged for a minimum of four years, including at least two years in oak. The riserva must be aged for a minimum of five years, with at least two years in oak. Regarding the Montalcino appellation as a whole, the combination of poor soils, warm dry sum- mers, and constant air movement allows for ripe, healthy Sangiovese grapes. This growing envi- ronment explains why wines from Montalcino have historically been made from 100% Sangiovese; in fact, it's often said that Sangiovese does not perform as well anywhere else in the world. Only here can the grape achieve an unequalled combination of finesse, depth, power, and complexity. As a result, these wines are some of Italy's most complex and ageworthy. The Wines CASTELLO BANFI'S BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO SINGLE VINEYARD SELECTIONS: Mandrielle Vineyard Sangiovese Poggioni Vineyard Sangiovese Tavernelle Vineyard Sangiovese