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A Rosso by any other name

Rosso di Montalcino used to be a light, simple quaffer, not a rich powerhouse like its big brother, Brunello. So why are so many Rossos now being made in this stronger style, asks Kerin O’Keefe.

Monstrous tannins, alcohol levels reaching 14.5% and made exclusively with 100% Sangiovese? Only one wine should fit this description: Brunello di Montalcino.
But Rosso di Montalcino, often called Brunello’s fratellino (baby brother), and created as the denomination’s second wine to be consumed young, often shares many of the qualities once reserved for the hilltop town’s most illustrious bottling. While sibling rivalry is nothing new in the Italian wine world, it is perhaps the first time the term applies to two wines made with the same grape from the same denomination. So why are so many Rossos now powerhouses, with
almost Brunello-like structures?

Read the article: A Rosso by any other name

Last modified: December 20, 2023