Giodo Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Carlo Ferrini’s heart belongs to Tuscany. Sangiovese is his first love, and Giodo Brunello di Montalcino is his life’s work.  This Brunello, composed of 100% Sangiovese, hails from the heart of Tuscany in one of Italy’s most prestigious DOCGs.  Carlo is one of Italy’s most influential winemakers, having worked at illustrious estates like Brancaia, Talenti, and Barone Ricasoli.   His style is simple, and his philosophy is all about, “the search of elegance.” Carlo was influenced by tasting a bottle of 1990 Château Margaux at a restaurant in Italy in 1993, falling in love with the sophisticated and restrained Margaux lacework.  It has been his life’s objective to recapture that refinement and bring it to the Sangiovese varietal.  Since the wine’s inaugural vintage in 2009, the Giodo Brunello di Montalcino has successfully epitomized his ethos, intriguing both critics and connoisseurs alike. 

Carlo Ferrini has made more than his share of contributions as a winemaker.  He has worked throughout the entire Italian peninsula, from Trentino all the way to Sicily.  One of his crowning achievements was serving as technical director of the Chianti Classico Consorzio, where he led the Chianti Classico 2000 Project.  This intensive restoration project involved a 16 year period where winemakers like Carlo would upgrade the vineyards within the Chianti Classico zone.  The most important part of this project was selecting better clonal material at higher densities.  The project dramatically improved the output of the Chianti Classico zone, and Chianti is experiencing its own version of a renaissance.  As for Giodo, Carlo chooses clones with tiny berries and harvests when the Sangiovese is just under-ripe to preserve some balanced acidity in the final wine. 

The name Giodo is a contraction of Carlo’s parents’ names – Giovanna and Donatello, as Carlo’s parents were extremely important figures in his life.  The 6 hectare estate is surprisingly large in comparison to most of the neighboring properties within the Brunello denomination.  The property sits between the communes of Sant’Angelo in Colle and Sant’Antimo.  Carlo uses only 8 Sangiovese clones that he manages with sustainable viticultural techniques whenever possible.  Attention to detail is crucial in the harvest and vinification process, and Carlo leaves nothing to chance.  The fruit is harvested a bit earlier to preserve freshness, and everything is sorted by hand prior to vinification in a mixture of stainless steel and concrete vats.   The wines then spend time in French oak casks prior to being bottled. 

Though Carlo likes to keep a low profile with Giodo as to not compete with some of his higher profile consulting clients, the wine does have a loyal following. Recently, Carlo has expanded his horizons by producing an Etna Rosso off the coast of Sicily.  He could not resist the fascinating pull of that region’s signature varietal – Nerello Mascalese.   Carlo is in the process of passing down his knowledge to his daughter, Bianca and this father/daughter team runs the operation at the estate today.  He continues to refine production of Sangiovese-based wines while exploring other new winemaking frontiers.      

"When I tasted this wine with its maker, the celebrated enologist Carlo Ferrini, he told me that he put every last drop of love into the 2019 vintage. He believes it is the best wine he has made thus far at his relatively new Giodo project that started in 2009. Indeed, I would rank the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino as high as or even better than the best vintages made at this boutique estate. In my mind, they are 2010, 2016 and now 2019. This wine comes from a three-hectare plot with 19-year-old vines that are cared for obsessively. This amphitheater-shaped parcel called La Poderina is nestled deep within the forest on a steep slope that overlooks Monte Amiata in the distance. The soils are white in color with lots of rocks. This is a wine of depth and dimension, with vibrant energy, elegant balsamic notes and sweetly ripened fruit. The medium fruit weight is balanced against the wine's acidity and fine tannins. It ends with floral notes of violet and iris." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate, (12/14/2023), Ratings: 98+, Drink: 2025-2050

"Tasted for a second time at the estate, and pouring a dark ruby/red color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is complex and stunning on opening with continuously unfolding aromas of black raspberries, polished leather, sandalwood, blood orange, and rosemary. Raised in French oak barrels of various size, the palate is equally compelling with outstanding structure and is sustained on the palate for ages, with lush tannins and perfectly ripe acidity. While it is appealing and showing off now, it has tension for days and is exceptional, with a lot of purity, although it never lacks for richness. This is a truly remarkable wine amid a slew of successes in this phenomenal vintage." - Jeb Dunnuck, (02/28/2024), Ratings: 98+, Drink: 2025-2050

"Plum with ruby reflections, this is deeply flavourful, suggesting careful extraction giving plenty of damson and sour plum character, fine but plentiful tannins, savoury tobacco and grilled meats, with floral edges, raspberry leaf and turmeric spice. Fragrant and full of quiet joy. From a vineyard set at 300m altitide, 30 months ageing followed by 18 months in bottle, south west fasting slppes; gravel and clay. Carlo Ferrini winemaker." - Jane Anson, (07/03/2023), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2025-2040