Castello Romitorio
Beautiful and ancient, sitting high on the hillside in the north-west of the Montalcino, the foundations of Castello Romitorio date back to the Roman times and the building has had many purposes since then. It wasn't until famous Italian artist Sandro Chia purchased the property in 1984 that its significant impact on the wines of Montalcino began.
Having been abandoned since World War II, Sandro had to completely restore the castle and replant the vineyards which are now sustainably managed and interspersed among virgin woodland. Castello Romitorio has been a long labour of love but thankfully their wines quickly gained critical acclaim and they now have a reputation as a trailblazing estate for how quickly they shot up the Brunello hierarchy.
While Sandro's artwork still adorns the labels, today the estate run by his son Filippo, with the guidance of consultant Paolo Vagaggini, and under his tenure the estate has been "on fire" in the word's of the Wine Advocate's Monica Larner. After being under-appreciated for too long, now "all of his wines are enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight"
Having been abandoned since World War II, Sandro had to completely restore the castle and replant the vineyards which are now sustainably managed and interspersed among virgin woodland. Castello Romitorio has been a long labour of love but thankfully their wines quickly gained critical acclaim and they now have a reputation as a trailblazing estate for how quickly they shot up the Brunello hierarchy.
While Sandro's artwork still adorns the labels, today the estate run by his son Filippo, with the guidance of consultant Paolo Vagaggini, and under his tenure the estate has been "on fire" in the word's of the Wine Advocate's Monica Larner. After being under-appreciated for too long, now "all of his wines are enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight"
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Tuscany | 1 | 92 (VN) | $409.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)A powerful, authoritative wine, the 2011 Brunello di Montalcino packs a serious punch. A host of savory, feral notes hit the palate first, followed by an array of dried cherry, dried flowers, tobacco, smoke, leather and cedar. This is one of the rare 2011s with tannins that need time to soften, as well as the density to develop nicely with further time in bottle. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 92 (VN) | $101.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino takes its time opening in the glass, gaining in volume and depth with each passing minute. It lifts up with citrus-tinged strawberries, rosemary, blood orange and hints of animal musk. This envelopes the palate with silken textures offset by zesty acidity and tart wild berry fruits, coming across as far more vibrant than expected. It lingers with a tart concentration and lightly grippy tannins while leaving a sour twang that I find very attractive. The 2012 is still maturing in bottle, yet quite close to peak; and if I had to hold anything against it, the finish is a bit shorter than anticipated. That said, it’s a zesty beauty. Only 24,000 bottles were made in 2012 versus the usual 50,000 through a combination of low yields and strict selection. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 92 (VN) | $161.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Bright red. Enticing aromas of violet, licorice and minerals. Fresh and juicy; saline, licorice and dark plum flavors are lifted by vibrant acidity. Finishes savory and long, with an enticing glyceral, fleshy quality. Aged about two years in large 20- to 45-hL Slavonian oak barrels and 500-liter tonneaux and is made with a 75%/25% blend of grapes from the vineyards in Romitorio and Castelnuovo dell’Abate, respectively. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 95 (VN) | $314.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is laced with spicy, dark red fruits, wild, sweet and spicy floral tones that give way to savory herbs, hints of animal musk and black earth. On the palate, it's soft, enveloping, almost creamy in texture and offset by a mix of savory spice, fine tannin and saturating mineral tones as black cherry and sage seem to hover on the senses. The finish is spicy and long, structured, but also with vibrant primary fruits holding on strong, as a twang of savory herbs lingers long. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 95 (WA) | $346.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95)The Castello Romitorio 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the vintage, showing lots of ripe fruit, crushed mineral, herbal nuances and varietal-driven purity. This wine nails that sweet spot between elegance and power that is not easily achieved. It offers an expanded array of Sangiovese flavors with wild cherry, forest floor, crushed clove and medicinal herb, but it also shows plump density and a velvety texture. Filippo Chia and his team have created a sold wine for medium or long-term drinking. Production is exactly 58,874 bottles. |
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Tuscany | 3 | 94 (WA) | $354.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (94)The Castello Romitorio 2017 Brunello di Montalcino comes from an estate that is quickly becoming a leader in a special niche of the Montalcino market. The wine is modern and soft, showing lots of contained ripeness and creaminess, yet it successfully embraces the fundamentals of the appellation and Sangiovese, thanks to its bright acidity and finely tuned structure. Few wines reach this level of precision, especially in a challenging vintage such as this. |
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Tuscany | 3 | 95 (VN) | $325.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)Darkly alluring and spicy, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino emanates from the glass with an earthy blend of crushed rocks, savory herbs, spiced blood orange and dried cherries. This soothes the palate with its soft textures and depths of wild berry fruit. Brisk acidity and mineral tones add lift but also depth. The 2019 finishes dramatically long and structured, turning youthfully inward on itself as orange and rosy inner florals resonate. The house style is on full display here, elevated by the radiant fruits of the 2019 vintage. |
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Tuscany | 11 | 95 (JD) | $308.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (95)From a mix of seven to eight estate parcels around the castle and brought up mostly in 5,000-liter Slavonian oak, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is pure and beautifully composed. The nose reveals ripe red cherries, fresh orange, pressed flowers, suede, and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it has supple tannins, balanced acidity, and a clean, mouthwatering finish that makes it hard to resist early. It should drink well for 10-15 years. Drink 2026-2041. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 96 (JS) | $633.00 | |||||
James Suckling (96)Extremely perfumed and pure on the nose with bright and vivid, crushed cherry and berry character. Full body. Tight and poised with rich yet polished tannins and an ever so long finish. Needs at least three or four years to come together. Better after 2021. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (VN) | $301.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta is a remarkably pretty and pure expression of the vintage. It impresses with a lifted yet stimulating display of bright red fruits and savory spice, framed by notes of crushed stone, animal musk and dusty florals. This boasts striking depth and elegant textures, all offset by a mix of tart wild berries and cool-toned acids, as salty minerals create an almost-crunchy feel toward the close. The tannins are firm yet rounded, displaying tremendous balance and length, as the 2016 Filo di Seta never grows tiring or youthfully clenched. That said, the best is yet to come for this complex and age-worthy effort. |
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Tuscany | 5 | 97 (VN) | $637.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta is a remarkably pretty and pure expression of the vintage. It impresses with a lifted yet stimulating display of bright red fruits and savory spice, framed by notes of crushed stone, animal musk and dusty florals. This boasts striking depth and elegant textures, all offset by a mix of tart wild berries and cool-toned acids, as salty minerals create an almost-crunchy feel toward the close. The tannins are firm yet rounded, displaying tremendous balance and length, as the 2016 Filo di Seta never grows tiring or youthfully clenched. That said, the best is yet to come for this complex and age-worthy effort. |
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Tuscany | 7 | 98 (WA) | $716.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98)The Castello Romitorio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta reaches a whole other level of intensity and brilliance with dark fruit, blackberry, an etched mineral quality, petrichor and wet slate that gives this wine an incredibly etched and lively presentation. The tannins are velvety and perfectly match the generous texture of this beautiful Sangiovese. Only later, you start to notice the delicate tones of purple flower and iris root that give this wine such an elegant finish. This is a cellar keeper. There are 9,000 bottles of this wine. |
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Tuscany | 10 | 96 (JD) | $535.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (96)A saturated red color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Filo Di Seta is supple and inviting, and has real structure and depth. With a more woodsy profile of mossy earth, it offers fleshy, full-bodied richness with a velvety texture and a long-lasting finish. It was a baby in this tasting and should start to show its best over the next few years. Drink 2027-2046. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 98 (VN) | $1,565.00 | |||||
Vinous (98)After tasting and loving the annata, I had high expectations for the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta Riserva. This is youthfully restrained and grumbling in the glass, but it’s worth waiting for, as a captivating display of mentholated herbs, dusty rose, lavender, black cherries, hints of animal musk and crushed ashen stone evolves before your eyes. It’s deeply textural and polished in feel, but also full of zesty, cooling acidity that enlivens the sultry core of dark fruits and exotic spices. A saturation of tannin coats the palate, creating a massively structured and long finale with lingering remnants of salted licorice and inner violet tones. The 2016 Riserva Filo di Seta may be a masterpiece in the making, though it will be many years before it shows all of its hidden beauty. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 94 (VN) | $1,305.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)Tasted from magnum the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a showstopper, hauntingly dark and intense, with depths of rum-soaked cherries, mocha, tobacco and sweet sage lifted by minty freshness. A distinct citrus tinge complements its ripe red and black fruits, while brisk acidity keeps the experience fresh. Velvety textures envelop the senses. The 2004 finishes with dramatic length, perfectly resolved yet full of mouthwatering tension and a tart cranberry note that leaves the taster with bated breath. |
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Tuscany | 5 | 98 (WS) | $917.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (98)This stunning red exudes bright cherry, blackberry, plum, iron and tobacco aromas and flavors, all knit together almost seamlessly, with vibrant acidity and refined tannins. Shows a combination of power and grace, with a long fruit and savory aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2047. 620 cases made, 150 cases imported. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (VN) | $1,115.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva lifts up with elegance and richness, as sweet lavender and violets give way to a more savory display of black cherries, Tuscan dust and cedar box with hints of cooling mint. This rushes the palate with sweet red fruits and spices, silky yet lifted, and displaying a delicacy not expected from the Riserva category, yet quite welcome. Beneath is a core of power and density just waiting to unfold. Minerality comes through in the finale, mingling with a fine coating of tannin and hints of spicy citrus. This harmonious Brunello will have a very long life. The Riserva is a selection of two Brunello barrels, one tonneau and one large cask, from Romitorio’s cellar. Simply stunning. |
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Tuscany | 10 | 99 (JD) | $1,405.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (99)One of only nine Riservas ever produced at the estate, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is a compelling benchmark for the house. The nose is pure and detailed, with red cherries, wild berries, floral perfume, saline earth, and savory spice. Full-bodied, it has a silky, weightless feel on the palate, with ripe tannins, mouthwatering acidity, and a long, finessed finish that stays bright and composed. It should drink beautifully for two decades or more. Drink 2027-2050. |
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