Region: Tuscany, Italy (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG)
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Body: Medium to Full
Notes: Morello cherry sauce, balsamic-tinged currants, crushed mint, cocoa dusting, new leather, with a classic web of crunchy, fine-grained tannins and radiant acidity
Pairing: Fiorentina steak, slow-braised wild boar, wild mushroom risotto, or aged Pecorino Toscano cheese with honey
The Producer
Fonterenza (Azienda Agricola Campi di Fonterenza) is an authoritative, deeply respected estate located on the southeastern slopes of Montalcino, founded and operated by twin sisters Margherita and Francesca Padovani. Originally a family summer home surrounded by wild woods, the sisters transformed the property into a biodynamic haven, planting their first vines in 1999. Today, they farm just over 4 hectares of contiguous vineyards rooted in clay, limestone, and stony soils sitting around 450 meters above sea level. Operating under a strict, low-intervention natural wine framework, the Padovanis rely on meticulously manual, biodynamic viticulture and a completely non-interventionist cellar approach. This includes spontaneous wild yeast fermentations, aging in large neutral oak botti, and avoiding fining, filtration, or heavy sulfur additions. Unlike many conventional peers, they also hold back their releases until they deem them structurally ready for the market.
The Wine
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a monumental, highly scannable vintage engineered to celebrate the full, soulful depth of a historically spectacular Tuscan growing season. Sourced from the estate's finest old-vine Sangiovese parcels, the grapes are hand-harvested in multiple passes to ensure absolute phenolic maturity. In the cellar, the juice undergoes a long, patient spontaneous fermentation and extended maceration with native wild yeasts in wood and concrete vats. The liquid is then transferred into large 2,500-liter neutral oak casks (botti) to mature gracefully for several years, allowing the wine's powerful architecture to naturally integrate on its fine lees. Bottled entirely unfined and unfiltered, the 2016 vintage delivers an absolute masterclass in tension and classical restraint; it effortlessly pairs a luscious, layered core of dark cherry and balsamic accents with a tight, gritty web of mineral-driven tannins and an energetic, mouthwatering persistence that will age beautifully for decades.
Region: Tuscany, Italy (Brunello di Montalcino DOCG)
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Body: Medium to Full
Notes: Morello cherry sauce, balsamic-tinged currants, crushed mint, cocoa dusting, new leather, with a classic web of crunchy, fine-grained tannins and radiant acidity
Pairing: Fiorentina steak, slow-braised wild boar, wild mushroom risotto, or aged Pecorino Toscano cheese with honey
The Producer
Fonterenza (Azienda Agricola Campi di Fonterenza) is an authoritative, deeply respected estate located on the southeastern slopes of Montalcino, founded and operated by twin sisters Margherita and Francesca Padovani. Originally a family summer home surrounded by wild woods, the sisters transformed the property into a biodynamic haven, planting their first vines in 1999. Today, they farm just over 4 hectares of contiguous vineyards rooted in clay, limestone, and stony soils sitting around 450 meters above sea level. Operating under a strict, low-intervention natural wine framework, the Padovanis rely on meticulously manual, biodynamic viticulture and a completely non-interventionist cellar approach. This includes spontaneous wild yeast fermentations, aging in large neutral oak botti, and avoiding fining, filtration, or heavy sulfur additions. Unlike many conventional peers, they also hold back their releases until they deem them structurally ready for the market.
The Wine
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a monumental, highly scannable vintage engineered to celebrate the full, soulful depth of a historically spectacular Tuscan growing season. Sourced from the estate's finest old-vine Sangiovese parcels, the grapes are hand-harvested in multiple passes to ensure absolute phenolic maturity. In the cellar, the juice undergoes a long, patient spontaneous fermentation and extended maceration with native wild yeasts in wood and concrete vats. The liquid is then transferred into large 2,500-liter neutral oak casks (botti) to mature gracefully for several years, allowing the wine's powerful architecture to naturally integrate on its fine lees. Bottled entirely unfined and unfiltered, the 2016 vintage delivers an absolute masterclass in tension and classical restraint; it effortlessly pairs a luscious, layered core of dark cherry and balsamic accents with a tight, gritty web of mineral-driven tannins and an energetic, mouthwatering persistence that will age beautifully for decades.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.