Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (1980)

About this wine

This 1980 Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino is made from 100 percent Sangiovese and shows classic mature Brunello character. On the nose expect dried cherry and red fruit notes with cedar, tobacco and leather opening up as the wine breathes. The palate is medium to medium plus in weight with bright old school acidity, fine resolved tannins, and flavors of cherry skin, dried herbs and cedar spice. The texture is smooth with a lingering savory finish that includes hints of dried flowers and forest floor. Mastrojanni first bottled Brunello in 1980 and the estate became one of the benchmarks of southern Montalcino, with a history of aging their Brunello in large casks which contributes to the wine structure and longevity.

About the grape

Brunello di Montalcino has always been made from Sangiovese, and Mastrojanni followed that tradition in the 1980 Riserva using 100 percent local Sangiovese material. The estate was founded in 1975 in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and planted vines on steep south facing slopes at roughly 180 to 420 meters above sea level, on varied soils including galestro and clays that stress the vines and concentrate Sangiovese character. Mastrojanni has long worked with mass selections and local clones of Sangiovese rather than international varieties, keeping yields low and selecting only the ripest clusters at harvest for their Brunello bottlings. In the cellar the estate historically aged their Brunello in large oak casks for extended periods, a regimen aimed at taming Sangiovese tannins and preserving the grape’s natural acidity and structural traits in Riserva bottlings.

Quick facts

• 🏛️ Mastrojanni released its very first Brunello in vintage 1980, the same year Brunello di Montalcino received DOCG status, making this bottle a piece of regional history
• 🍒 The 1980 Riserva was made from Sangiovese Grosso often called Brunello in Montalcino, a grape that was officially identified as Sangiovese only a century earlier
• 🌞 Mastrojanni was a pioneer in southern Montalcino plantings, using warmer exposures that help these wines develop ripe tertiary aromas even after decades in bottle
• ☕ The family sold the original estate to the Illy Coffee Group in 2008, yet the Mastrojanni name continued to be a reference point for classic Brunello
• 🌱 Antonio Mastrojanni went on to found a new project called La Nascosta, so this 1980 Riserva connects the original estate story to a living family legacy in Val d Orcia

Palate profile

Producer

Mastrojanni, established in 1975 by Gabriele Mastrojanni, is located in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, within the Montalcino municipality of Tuscany, Italy. Recognizing the area's potential, Mastrojanni transformed the San Pio and Loreto estates into vineyards, becoming one of the early producers of Brunello di Montalcino in this region. The estate spans approximately 110 hectares, with 41 hectares dedicated to vine cultivation, situated at altitudes ranging from 180 to 420 meters above sea level. In 2008, the Illy Group acquired Mastrojanni, continuing its legacy of producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the area.