Boscobruno (2021)

About this wine

This is a 100 percent Pinot Noir from the Boscobruno vineyard in Castelnuovo Berardenga, grown around 480 metres above sea level. On the nose it shows red rose petal, wild strawberry and red cherry with a touch of spice and subtle cassis. The palate is medium bodied, with a silky texture, well integrated tannins and a clean persistent finish. Vinification includes controlled temperature fermentation and about 15 days of maceration in cement, followed by malolactic fermentation and ageing in French barriques for roughly 12 months. The wine is made to age for a decade or more and has been scored highly by Italian critics, reflecting the winerys focused work with Pinot Noir in this Tuscan site.

About the grape

Pinot Noir originated in Burgundy and is prized for its thin skin, aromatic complexity, and sensitivity to site, traits that made it a challenging but prized international variety in Tuscany. At Vallepicciola the grape is planted in the Boscobruno vineyard at about 480 metres above sea level in limestone and clay soils with marl, trained with Guyot at 5,000 plants per hectare and cropped to roughly 45 quintals per hectare to preserve concentration. For the 2021 Boscobruno the estate harvests in early September, ferments and macerates in temperature controlled cement vats then completes malolactic in used French oak barriques, using the varietal as a single grape purity to express the local terroir. This approach highlights Pinot Noir s delicate aromatic profile and site specific character while relying on specific clonal and viticultural control to manage ripeness in a Tuscan hillside setting.

Quick facts

• 🍇 Boscobruno is a single‑vineyard Pinot Nero named after the very plot (Boscobruno) at Vallepicciola, not a blend or generic bottling.
• 🗻 The vines for Boscobruno sit unusually high for Tuscany at about 480 meters above sea level, giving the Pinot Noir cool‑climate finesse.
• 🪵 Vallepicciola ages Boscobruno partly in new oak—its barrel program mixes new and used barriques to keep Pinot’s silkiness and add spiced complexity.
• 🏆 The 2021 Boscobruno collected high scores from Italian critics, including a 94‑point from Guida Veronelli and praise from international tasters.
• 🏰 The estate that makes Boscobruno was created by restoring monastery ruins into a single estate where the vineyard names tell the story of each plot’s history.

Palate profile

Producer

Vallepicciola is a modern estate founded by the Bolfo family who restored the ruins of a monastery in Pievasciata and began developing the property in the late 1990s. The winery grew quickly and opened its contemporary cellars in 2016, combining traditional Tuscan varieties with international grapes across its extensive vineyards. Vallepicciola has emphasized design and hospitality, building a 6,000 square metre cellar and offering tasting and tourism experiences on the estate. In recent years the estate has gained international recognition for its Chianti Classico and expanded a Grand Cru range, while also producing olive oil and other estate products.