The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Sorgente 2020 from Salicutti comes from the single vineyard site of Sorgente, situated at 450 metres above sea level, with heavy clay, sand and galestro soils. Pure Sangiovese from Montalcino’s first organically certified estate – late-ripening, fresh and multi-faceted.
Fully ripe cherries, black cardamom, juniper and bay leaf, accompanied by toasty wood spice, smoke, sandalwood and vetiver – complex and constantly evolving.
Palate
Juicy attack with crystalline cherry fruit, fine-grained, almost powdery tannins with notes of dark chocolate and coffee crema; ripe, invigorating acidity ensures a lively drinking flow.
Character
A hedonistic Brunello with energy and elegance – generous fruit meets a refined tannin structure and remarkable freshness.
Pairing
Herb-braised leg of lamb, Bistecca alla Fiorentina, mature Pecorino.
Notes
The Sorgente vineyard lies above an underground water source, which reduces hydric stress and, despite global warming, allows for fresh wines with comparatively moderate alcohol levels. The vines, planted in 1994, grow in soils that have never been exposed to conventional sprays – organically certified since 1996, now biodynamic according to Demeter guidelines.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Transparent ruby red with a clear, luminous depth — a wine whose appearance alone reveals its origins in a cool, high-altitude vineyard site.
Nose
A generous basket of fully ripe cherries unfolds, framed by black cardamom, juniper and bay leaf. Behind them resonate toasty wood spice, smoke, sandalwood and vetiver — multi-layered and in constant motion. A bouquet that deserves large glasses.
Palate
Supremely juicy on entry, with bell-clear cherry fruit, expansive yet precise. Fine-grained, tightly woven, almost powdery tannins on the palate evoke dark chocolate, coffee crema and subtle toasty notes. The ripe acidity dances in the background, driving the drinking pace — a hedonistic Brunello with racing stripes painted across the tongue.
Finish
Long and carried by a cool freshness, with lingering spice and a conclusion that is elegant rather than broad.
Terroir & origin
The 1.5-hectare cru Sorgente lies at 450 metres behind the cantina of Podere Salicutti in Montalcino — the late-ripening south-facing site within a trio of vineyards alongside Teatro (520 m) and Piaggione. Heavy clay and sand soils with stony galestro and an underground water source slow ripening, yielding fresh, multifaceted wines with comparatively lower alcohol. The foundation: 60 to 80 million-year-old marlstone, calcareous marl soils beloved by Sangiovese — 35 kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Grape variety & vinification
Pure Sangiovese from just 4.5 hectares of total vineyard area — little more than a mere 15,000 to 20,000 bottles per year, crafted by cellar master Gianni Fabbri from hand-selected grapes. Intensive gardening: every vine known personally, every bunch checked by hand.
Food recommendations
Ideal with rustic Italian cuisine: wild boar ragù, Bistecca alla fiorentina, Pecorino cheese, pandiraten or hearty mushroom and truffle dishes. Perfect for opening up when the wine can breathe — and for a second glass in the evening.
Special features
Having obtained organic certification in 1996, Salicutti is regarded as Montalcino’s first organic estate and today farms according to Demeter guidelines; the Demeter logo adorns the label. What makes Sorgente particularly distinctive: the late-ripening, cool site and heavy soils produce a Brunello of unusual freshness, crystalline cherry and a powdery tannin texture — a Sangiovese of such clarity that Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate declared it the “Holy Grail of Sangiovese purity”.
EN 
DE 
FR 
IT 
