Col d’Orcia, which means the hill overlooking the Orcia River, is located on the outskirts of the medieval hilltop village of Montalcino in Tuscany’s Siena province. The estate’s winemaking history began in the 1700s. The Cinzano family purchased the estate in 1973. Today they are the third-largest owner of Brunello vineyards in Montalcino and the largest organic vineyard in Tuscany. Today there are approximately 200 producers in Montalcino, but Cinzano’s Col d’Orcia is one of the most well-known.

At the time of its purchase by the Cinzanos, Col d’Orcia was planted with various crops, as was common, including wheat, tobacco, olives, and grapes. One of the main buildings is, in fact, the mill of the old Fattoria di Sant’Angelo in Colle. In 1973 there were just a few hectares dedicated to grapes. Still, planting expanded during this time under the leadership of Count Alberto Marone Cinzano and reached 70 hectares (173 acres) by the early 1980s. In 1992 Marone Cinzano's son Francesco took over. He continued to increase plantings to the current level of 144 hectares (356 acres), of which 108 (267 acres) are Brunello-designated vineyards, making Col d’Orcia the third largest owner of Brunello vineyards in Montalcino. Over the last few years, Francesco Marone Cinzano has overseen a gradual and quiet conversion to biodynamic farming, one example of many quality-driven decisions that separate Col d’Orcia from Montalcino’s other large producers.

Col d’Orcia is a champion of biodiversity. Located in a natural park, also a UNESCO site, the Cinzano family feels a duty to protect this unique environment. The entire estate includes vineyards, gardens, olive groves, tobacco, and wheat fields, and 50 percent of the land is still natural woodland filled with Mediterranean shrubs. Col d’Orcia has always been conscientious of the environment, and in 1990 they began the research and development of cover crops with the University of Florence. In 1995, they started using natural fertilizers, such as vine pruning and manure. In 2010, they transformed the winery to organic, and today Col d’Orcia is the largest certified organic wine-producing farm in Tuscany.

Vintage Notes

The 2019 vintage in Montalcino experienced a mild winter, excepting January when the temperatures dipped. A rainy second half of February continued into a rainy and cool spring. June and July were sunny, with only one major rainfall. August was seasonally average. Thanks to the abundant water reserves and the lack of extreme heat, the foliage remained efficient all season long. This resulted in slow, consistent ripening of the grapes, excellent for obtaining a perfect balance of phenolics, acidity and tannin compounds.

Winemaking & Aging

Manual harvest with rigorous selection of the best grapes in the vineyard and cellar. Temperature controlled 18–20-day fermentation in shallow, stainless-steel tanks designed to extract tannin and color efficiently but delicately. The wine is aged three years in 25, 50 and 75 hl Slavonian and Allier (French) oak casks, followed by one year refinement in bottle.

Tasting Notes

Pleasant fruity notes of black cherry and jam, followed by the classic hints of spices and vanilla. The profile is warm, with ripe and clear tannins. Intense and persistent, leading to a long finish.

The certified organic Col d'Orcia 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows ripe fruit, blackberry, earthy notes, licorice and, generally speaking, a much bigger and riper fruit profile compared to its peers. It offers full-bodied Brunello opulence to enjoy over the near or medium term, and the wine delivers dried fruit flavors of prune and fig to close. The tannins are velvety and add to the richness of the rather upfront and immediate mouthfeel. 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This tightly packed version is resonant and persistent, with fine integration of all its components, despite being compact and austere today, revealing cherry, raspberry, rose, earth and mineral flavors. Give this the benefit of the doubt. Best from 2026 through 2042. 94 points Wine Spectator

The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a magenta/ruby color and is highly expressive with aromas of mixed berries, herbs de Provence, sweet tobacco, and candied violets. This full-bodied Brunello is flush with sweet tannins, a richly textured mid-palate, and an impressive finish. It retains very nice purity and has the potential to age over the next 15-20 years. 94 points Jeb Dunnuck

Quite a departure for this estate, the 2019 is immediately inviting and expressive. It seduces with dulcet tones of red rose, cherry, and sweet thyme. Expansive and capacious, the palate unfolds fluidly with layers of luscious red plum and pomegranate. Hibiscus, rose water and orange are tucked in every crevasse. A brilliant demonstration Sangiovese’s tasty succulence. Deceptively gentle to begin, fine sandy tannins build in an age worthy crescendo. At the vintage’s pre-release tasting late 2023, Col d’Orcia celebrated its 50th anniversary. Kudos to the Marone Cinzano family who continue to elevate the denomination through ongoing research and development, encouraging biodiversity and embracing large scale organic cultivation. 94 points Decanter

Pure and refined wine with lively raspberries, red cherries, rose hips and a touch of citrus blossom. Medium- to full-bodied with firm yet silky tannins. Excellent acidity backbone. 93 points James Suckling

Depths of dried black cherry come together with cedar shavings and worn leather as the darkly alluring 2019 Brunello di Montalcino slowly evolves in the glass. This is surprisingly juicy and energetic, with a pure blend of red fruits and inner florals coasting along a fresh acidity stream. Fine tannins settle in through the finish as the 2019 takes on a youthful tension, puckering the cheeks as tart cranberry notes fade through the youthfully chewy finale. 93 points Vinous

Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2019

About 18 months ago we offered the 2018 vintage of this wine and it sold out quickly, so when we got our pre-arrival purchase opportunity from the supplier we immediately placed our order knowing the history of this great Brunello producer. This 2019 vintage got either the same or more points awarded than the previous vintage from each of its reviewers.

This is a favorite in our cellars and it was a treat to open up the new vintage. The 2019 Brunello’s in general are very inviting in their youth and this is not an exception. We gathered to taste the Col d’Orcia with veterans and some new to the wine world. I always remember this producer as making approachable yet sturdy long-lived wines. On the nose is a captivating presence of spice, red fruits and old oiled leather. On the palate it shows a surprisingly light to moderate texture of with flavors of the same red fruits component with raspberry tea notes, nectarine skins, cocoa, hazelnuts and dried figs. The finish is old school with firm backbone of balanced acidity and tannins. This will age gracefully but it will be hard not to open it up and throw it in your decanter for drinking this season. Meghan, a new world wine lover, was surprised to fall in love with this as it shows such a completeness in the finish that brought up conversations of Cinghiale (wild boar) and Lasagna made us all think of how hungry we all became. Don’t miss out on this one.

- The Yankee Spirits Wine Team

Regular Price: $49.99

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