Brunello di Montalcino

Tuscany · Italy · Wine Auction Prices

Brunello di Montalcino is Italy's most prestigious red wine appellation and Tuscany's dominant force at auction, with over 12,859 tracked lots averaging $182 per bottle. The DOCG — centred on the hill town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany — requires 100% Sangiovese Grosso, locally called Brunello, aged a minimum of five years from harvest before release (six for Riserva, with at least two years in oak and four months in bottle). The appellation covers roughly 3,500 hectares inside a roughly circular territory defined by four different elevation bands and contrasting soil types: the northern slopes near Montalcino town are cooler with Eocene clay and schist, while the southwestern exposures at lower altitude are warmer with galestro-rich limestone — a difference that produces noticeably distinct wines even from neighbouring estates. Biondi-Santi established the commercial identity of Brunello in the 19th century; today the most-traded producer at auction is Casanova di Neri with 1,044 lots, followed by Valdicava (830 lots) and Il Poggione (769 lots). At the luxury end, Soldera Case Basse Riserva averages $1,269 per bottle across 312 lots — driven by tiny production from the oldest Sangiovese Grosso vines in the zone. The 2010, 2012, and 2015 vintages are considered the modern reference points for the appellation, combining concentration with the brisk acidity that defines Brunello's age-worthiness.