Donatella Cinelli Colombini : Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne Selection 2015

A great Brunello wine by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The estate

The Donatella Cinelli Colombini: Casato Prime Donne estate lies in Montalcino, at the heart of the Tuscany wine region in Italy. The estate is the first to be entirely run by women.

Donatella Cinelli Colombini comes from a family which has produced Brunello Di Montalcino wines since the 16th century. She founded her own estates, Casato Prima Donne and Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda in 1998.

Renowned for her work and the quality of her wines, Donatella Cinelli Colombini received the Oscar for best Italian producer by the Italian association of sommeliers in 2003. She is also one of the 210 producers who make up the members of the Consortium of Brunello di Montalcino.

With a surface area of 40 hectares, 16 of which are planted with vines, the Casato Prime Donne vineyard overlooks Montalcino’s hills at an altitude of 225 metres.

Produced with the greatest rigour, Donatella Cinelli Colombini wines elegantly and authentically reflect the characteristics of this exceptional terroir. The prolonged ageing time gives these great wines a rich aromatic palette and a rare elegance, classified at the highest level in the hierarchy of Italian appellations and reputed amongst critics.

The vineyard

The grapes used in the production of this Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino 2015 by Donatella Cinelli Colombini are issued from a 2.5-hectare plot. Planted in 2001 at 225 metres of altitude, this south-facing vineyard with poor and clayey soils produces small berries, for which slow and consistent ripening is encouraged due to the altitude of this part of the Brunello vineyard. The vineyard is managed according to the principles of organic farming.

The wine

Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino by Donatella Cinelli Colombini has been produced since 1993. It aims to reinforce the importance of women’s tastes when producing and selecting wines in a mostly-male viticultural world. Thus, the first Brunello was born after being selected by a all-female and international jury.

Each year, the jury decides how long ageing will be, the types of barrels to use and the final blend for the wine, produced only during the best years.

A symbol of courage, ethical values and challenging clichés, this high-end wine is experiencing increasing success amongst consumers and critics.

Winemaking and ageing

The exclusively manual harvests for this “Ardita” plot, dedicated to the production of Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino, marks the starting point for the harvests before the other plots at the estate.

The ageing process of this Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino 2015 first takes place in French oak casks over a period of at least two years. The wine is then left to settle in barrels before a final stage of ageing in bottles which precedes its commercialisation. This slow process gives the wine great elegance, as well as rich and varied aromas.

Blend

The Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino 2015 by Donatella Cinelli Colombini is a 100% Sangiovese wine.

Tasting

The Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino 2015 by Donatella Cinelli Colombini harmoniously combines a solid structure and fine tannins.