The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino

BY ERIC GUIDO | OCTOBER 12, 2022

The writing is on the wall. In fact, it’s been there for quite a while, yet many have chosen to ignore it, and many still do. The climate in Montalcino is changing drastically. Touring through vineyards with producers during the summer of 2022 was at times depressing, as we looked to the drought-stricken, cracking earth beneath our feet and then up to the sky as if pleading with a higher power, “Please Rain.” At that time in July, the last helpful rainfall occurred in March. That meant that the vines needed water. Granted, vines still looked healthy in many cases, digging their roots deep to find resources, yet they stood at the brink.

There are very few producers in Montalcino that have irrigation set up for such emergencies, and so the fate of the vintage lies in the hands of Mother Nature. Occasionally a scattered shower might fall, 5-10 millimeters, centralized only in one small part of the region. The consensus, at the time, was that harvest may have to begin near the end of August, instead of the historic average of late September through October. Nearly any Brunello producer will tell you that vines can adapt to the heat and still make great wine, but they need water. Jaws dropped in awe by the second week of July, as veraison had begun. Today, Montalcino is starting to resemble a desert; even the plants found throughout the region are a mix of succulents.

An early onset of veraison in Montalcino, July 2022.

Luckily, August 2nd brought a full hour of rain, totaling 33 millimeters in some areas, which provided a much-needed respite from the heat. A large sigh of relief was surely heard throughout the region. As I was writing this article, I heard word from Angela Biagiotti, assistant winemaker at Uccelliera, that harvest had just begun on September 15th. A save? Maybe, but the warmth of the vintage had probably already left its mark. We will see how 2022 fares over time.

Consistently warm and dry years are starting to worry the producers, as they are leading to Brunellos that are becoming unrecognizable compared to the wines of only over a decade ago. With 2017 and shortly 2018 behind us, we may have some very exciting years to look forward to in the form of 2019, 2020 and 2021, but they are all different degrees of excessively warm and dry vintage wines. Maceration times can be adjusted to help with thick skins and dehydrated berries, but the minimum time in barrel must be followed to the letter of the law. Many open-minded producers have accepted that even 24 months can simply be too much time for these wines to spend in wood before placing them in concrete or steel tanks. The 2018 vintage will show many consumers how extended wood aging can strip a remarkably pretty and exotic vintage of some of its charms. Just like 2017, I believe we’ll see Rossos that show better than Brunellos within the same portfolio.

And There You Have It, the Rise of Rosso di Montalcino

A continuing trend developing throughout the region is a new importance placed upon the production of Rosso di Montalcino. Producers often look to new single-vineyard wines or selections from within their vineyards or wineries to create Rossos that can take things to another level. The more lenient rules for producing Rosso make it very easy for winemakers to make far superior wines than the category was originally intended for.

The Rosso di Montalcino DOC permits a producer to use fruit from their Brunello-designated vineyards for Rosso or to make a barrel selection within the cellar and release a wine after only 10 months of aging. Rosso must be 100% Sangiovese and can be refined in any combination of concrete, stainless steel or wood. A next-level Rosso di Montalcino could be the answer to producers having trouble creating a classic Brunello in the face of global warming or wanting to appeal to a new generation that have no interest in cellaring wines for decades before drinking them. Through its more relaxed rules for sourcing, blending and aging, it is possible to create a more balanced wine, but also one that can communicate just as much importance with the potential aging of a Brunello, without losing the Montalcino branding on the label. This also allows wineries to turn over the product much faster and raise cash instead of sitting on wine for five years prior to release, which is a huge investment.