What grape is Brunello di Montalcino made from?

Brunello di Montalcino is made exclusively from Sangiovese — specifically the Sangiovese Grosso clone locally known as Brunello. No blending is permitted. This single-varietal focus means that terroir, vintage, and winemaking are fully expressed without the complexity of multi-grape blends.

How long should I age Brunello?

Village-level Brunello benefits from 8-15 years of ageing. Top producers and great vintages (2010, 2015, 2016) can age 25-40+ years. Riserva bottlings need at least 10-15 years to begin showing their best. Rosso di Montalcino drinks well from 2-8 years after vintage.

What is the difference between Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino?

Both are 100% Sangiovese from the same zone. Brunello must age 5 years before release (2 in oak), while Rosso requires only 1 year. The result: Brunello is more complex, structured, and age-worthy; Rosso is fresher, fruitier, and more immediately approachable — at a lower price.

Which Brunello vintage should I buy in 2026?

The 2019 vintage (currently releasing) is outstanding — buy with confidence. For cellaring, seek out remaining 2016 and 2015 bottles. For drinking now, 2018 Brunello and 2019-2020 Rosso di Montalcino are excellent choices. At expertvin.be, we stock multiple vintages through our curated selection.

Is Brunello worth the price?

Top Brunello is expensive (€40-150+) but offers extraordinary value compared to equivalent-quality Burgundy or Barolo. Rosso di Montalcino from serious producers (€15-25) is one of Italy's best wine values. The key is knowing which producers and vintages justify the investment.

What food goes best with Brunello?

Brunello excels with Tuscan cuisine: grilled steak, wild boar ragù, aged pecorino, and truffle dishes. Its high acidity and firm tannins need rich, savoury foods. Avoid light fish or delicate dishes — Brunello will overwhelm them. For a lighter option, pair Rosso di Montalcino with pasta and tomato-based sauces.

Where can I taste Brunello in Belgium?

At expertvin.be's wine bars — 20hVin in La Hulpe and La Cave du Lac in Genval — we feature Italian wine evenings with Brunello from multiple producers and vintages. Our expertvin selection ensures professional provenance and optimal storage conditions.

Brunello di Montalcino: A Buyer's Guide to Tuscany's Greatest Wine

Practical advice for navigating one of Italy's most rewarding — and complex — wine regions

Published · April 10, 2026

Brunello di Montalcino: A Buyer's Guide to Tuscany's Greatest Wine

Practical advice for navigating one of Italy's most rewarding — and complex — wine regions

Updated April 2026 | By expertvin — Belgium's Wine Specialist

Brunello di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese grown in one of the most precisely defined wine regions in the world — a single Tuscan hilltown and its surrounding slopes. Yet within this compact zone, the diversity of styles is remarkable. North-facing vineyards produce elegant, perfumed Brunello; south-facing slopes yield powerful, concentrated wines. The elevation range — from 120m to 500m above sea level — creates microclimates that rival Burgundy's complexity.

This guide provides practical buying advice for navigating Brunello at expertvin.be. Whether you're looking for everyday Rosso di Montalcino, a cellar-worthy Brunello Riserva, or the perfect bottle for a Tuscan-themed dinner, we've got you covered through our curated selection.

The Four Terroir Zones

Montalcino's hill is divided informally into four quadrants, each with distinct soil and climate characteristics:

North / North-West (Montosoli)

Cooler, with galestro (flakey limestone-clay) soils. Produces the most elegant, aromatic Brunello with bright acidity, floral notes, and fine tannins. The style closest to classic Sangiovese. Benchmark: Biondi-Santi's historic estate sits on this slope.

North-East (Castelnuovo dell'Abate)

Diverse soils with clay, sand, and some volcanic influence. Produces structured wines with darker fruit and more power than the north-west. Increasingly popular with serious producers. Benchmark: Mastrojanni, Poggio di Sotto (post-2012).

South / South-East

Warmer, with sandier soils. Riper, more fruit-forward wines that are approachable earlier. The zone that has attracted the most modern investment. Benchmark: Casanova di Neri, Pian dell'Orino.

South-West (Sant'Angelo in Colle)

The warmest zone with red clay soils. Powerful, concentrated wines with bold tannins and dark fruit. Requires the most patience for ageing. Benchmark: Col d'Orcia, Argiano.

Brunello vs Rosso: Understanding the Hierarchy

Rosso di Montalcino

Rosso di Montalcino is Brunello's younger sibling — same grape (Sangiovese), same territory, but with less ageing (minimum 1 year vs. Brunello's 5 years, including 2 in oak). The result is a fresher, fruitier wine that's more immediately approachable. Think of Rosso as a window into a producer's style without the commitment of a Brunello's price tag or ageing requirements.

Smart buyers know that Rosso di Montalcino from top producers often outperforms Brunello from lesser estates. A €15-25 Rosso from Poggio di Sotto, Stella di Campalto, or Cerbaiona can be a revelation.

Brunello di Montalcino

Released after 5 years (January of the sixth year after harvest), Brunello has spent at minimum 2 years in oak and 4 months in bottle. This extended ageing builds complexity: the tannins polymerise, the fruit develops savoury, earthy complexity, and the wine gains the structure to age for decades.

Brunello Riserva

Released after 6 years with additional oak ageing. Riserva bottlings represent a producer's best barrel selections from outstanding vintages. They're rarer, more expensive, and built for the longest possible ageing — 20-40+ years in top vintages.

Vintage Selection: 2015-2021

2019 — Outstanding

The current release vintage and a unanimous success. Balanced growing season produced structured, aromatic Brunello with excellent ageing potential. Buy with confidence across the board. Drinking window: 2029-2055.

2018 — Warm, Generous

A warm vintage producing riper, more immediately approachable Brunello. Excellent for medium-term drinking (10-20 years) but may lack the structure of 2019 for very long ageing. Southern zone producers excelled.

2016 — Exceptional

Alongside 2010 and 2015, one of the vintages of the decade. Perfect conditions produced concentrated, balanced wines with extraordinary complexity. Already expensive and getting harder to find. If you see it, buy it.

2015 — Five Stars

Warm vintage with perfect balance. Rich, expressive wines that are more approachable than 2016 but with impressive depth. Drinking beautifully now but will age for 20+ years. Outstanding Riservas released in 2021.

Food Pairing: The Tuscan Table

Brunello's high acidity, firm tannins, and savoury character make it one of the world's greatest food wines — but it demands the right partners.

Classic TuscanBistecca alla fiorentina, wild boar ragù, pappardelle with hare

CheesesPecorino di Pienza (aged), Parmigiano-Reggiano (36+ months)

GameRoast pheasant, venison, guinea fowl with herbs

TrufflesWhite truffle pasta (November), black truffle risotto (year-round)

At expertvin.be, we regularly pair our Brunello selection with Italian-inspired menus at 20hVin in La Hulpe and La Cave du Lac in Genval. Visit for a tasting that brings Tuscany to Belgium.

Frequently asked

What grape is Brunello di Montalcino made from?
Brunello di Montalcino is made exclusively from Sangiovese — specifically the Sangiovese Grosso clone locally known as Brunello. No blending is permitted. This single-varietal focus means that terroir, vintage, and winemaking are fully expressed without the complexity of multi-grape blends.
How long should I age Brunello?
Village-level Brunello benefits from 8-15 years of ageing. Top producers and great vintages (2010, 2015, 2016) can age 25-40+ years. Riserva bottlings need at least 10-15 years to begin showing their best. Rosso di Montalcino drinks well from 2-8 years after vintage.
What is the difference between Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino?
Both are 100% Sangiovese from the same zone. Brunello must age 5 years before release (2 in oak), while Rosso requires only 1 year. The result: Brunello is more complex, structured, and age-worthy; Rosso is fresher, fruitier, and more immediately approachable — at a lower price.
Which Brunello vintage should I buy in 2026?
The 2019 vintage (currently releasing) is outstanding — buy with confidence. For cellaring, seek out remaining 2016 and 2015 bottles. For drinking now, 2018 Brunello and 2019-2020 Rosso di Montalcino are excellent choices. At expertvin.be, we stock multiple vintages through our curated selection.
Is Brunello worth the price?
Top Brunello is expensive (€40-150+) but offers extraordinary value compared to equivalent-quality Burgundy or Barolo. Rosso di Montalcino from serious producers (€15-25) is one of Italy's best wine values. The key is knowing which producers and vintages justify the investment.
What food goes best with Brunello?
Brunello excels with Tuscan cuisine: grilled steak, wild boar ragù, aged pecorino, and truffle dishes. Its high acidity and firm tannins need rich, savoury foods. Avoid light fish or delicate dishes — Brunello will overwhelm them. For a lighter option, pair Rosso di Montalcino with pasta and tomato-based sauces.
Where can I taste Brunello in Belgium?
At expertvin.be's wine bars — 20hVin in La Hulpe and La Cave du Lac in Genval — we feature Italian wine evenings with Brunello from multiple producers and vintages. Our expertvin selection ensures professional provenance and optimal storage conditions.

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