Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino 2018

Cellar for up to 20 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. Andrea Cortones’ wines have become cult favourites for Brunello collectors since the foundation of his Uccelliera winery in 1986. The property was formerly part of the neighbouring Ciacci Piccolomini estate where Cortones worked as cellar master before deciding to pursue his dream of making his own wines. Cortones adopts an artisanal approach in the vineyard doing everything by hand. This commitment to quality means that his wines are very popular with international wine critics like Antonio Galloni and Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. Uccelliera is located in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate sub-region of Montalcino where the stony soils and warmer microclimate help to create luscious, ripe expressions of Brunello. This bottling is Cortones’ flagship bottling and is aged in oak for 24 months in a mixture of French and Slavonian oak. The nose opens with complex layers of dark berries, savoury Mediterranean herbs and hints of leather while the first sip reveals a generous full body and smooth, well-developed tannins which will respond gracefully to extended cellaring. The robust flavour profile and remarkably long finish make this a great match for hearty dishes like beef stews, venison or other roasted game meats.