Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino Il Marroneto bottle image

Wine Description

Il Marroneto was founded in 1974 by Giuseppe Mori. Son Alessandro Mori joined the estate immediately, creating the first vintage in 1980. The estate is located in the higher elevations of the cooler northern zone of Montalcino, and is one of the older estates in the appellation. Traditional in style and adhering to a philosophy of minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar, Il Marroneto foregoes conventional methods. Focusing on the health of the vine through spacing and nutrient-rich topsoil, Mori eschews the use of chemicals, allows only native ferments and ages in large oak cask.

Alessandro Mori’s Brunellos are some of the most long-lived in Montalcino. Il Marroneto is an old tower dating back to the 13th century where the nuns (that lived in the Madonna delle Grazie convent) kept the chestnuts used to make flour for bread. The estate’s 5.8 hectares have been planted in stages: The first 10% in the 1975, an additional 10% in the 1977, and the rest in the winter between 1982-1983. Elevation of the vineyard sits at 400 meters above sea level, and soils are an intricate mix of mostly sand, large stones of limestone, and galestro.

This first vintage of Il Marroneto was bottled in 1980. The vines are an average age of 35 years with ample vine spacing of 3400 per hectare. A nine-day native ferment in 50% stainless and 50% wood occurs with occasional punchdowns. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after ageing 39 months in 2600-liter French cask, and further refining for six months in bottle. 

Il Marroneto Botti Grandi
Il Marroneto
Il Marroneto - Alessandro Mori
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Acclaim
“Il Marroneto's 1980 Brunello di Montalcino is a revelation. Remarkably fresh for a wine of its age, the 1980 is everything a mature Brunello should be. Beguiling scents of tobacco, orange peel, sweet herbs, licorice and dried cherry are laced together in a vibrant, salivating Brunello endowed with class. Powerful, incisive and utterly compelling, the 1980 is simply magnificent today. I don't imagine there are too many bottles lying around in cellars today, but readers lucky enough to still have the 1980 should be thrilled."
— Vinous, Feb 2016
“There is an inherent sweetness to this red, courtesy of the ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, complemented by mineral, tobacco and wild herb notes, balanced by a backbone of dense, refined tannins. Shows fine balance and length.”
— Wine Spectator Insider, Mar 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Il Marroneto
Vineyard size
14 acres
Soil composition
Sand and Stony
Elevation:
1,300 feet
Vines/acre:
1,380
Exposure:
Northern
Year vineyard planted:
1975
Harvest time:
First ten days of October
First vintage of this wine:
1976
Bottles produced of this wine:
11,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Sangiovese Grosso
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
9 days
Fermentation temperature:
89 °F
Maceration technique:
Punchdown
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
2600 liters
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
39 months
Age of Aging Container:
1976 - 2009
Length of bottle aging:
6 months
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Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.