Italy · Tuscany

Altesino

Altesino is a historically significant Brunello di Montalcino producer, established in 1972 by a group of northern Italian entrepreneurs who helped establish Brunello's international reputation during the appellation's expansion in the 1970s. The estate covers approximately 40 hectares in two main properties: the home estate near the town of Montalcino on the northern hill, and the Montosoli cru on the northeast face of the hill — generally considered Montalcino's finest single vineyard for Brunello, producing wines of extraordinary elegance and longevity. Altesino was a pioneer in single-vineyard Brunello production and in legal permission for barrique aging in the appellation during the 1980s — contributions that shaped modern Brunello's identity. Montosoli is the estate's flagship: grown at altitude on galestro and alberese soils on the cooler northern face, it produces Brunello of extraordinary aromatic finesse, floral character, and fine tannin structure. Parker and Gambero Rosso have awarded multiple vintages 95–99 points. The standard Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino complete the portfolio. With 578 lots averaging $86 per bottle, Altesino is accessible relative to its historical standing and Montosoli's critical reputation. Bottles of Montosoli from the 1990s and early 2000s in particular represent strong value for northern-style Brunello.