Brunello di Montalcino (1981)

About this wine

This Brunello is made from 100 percent Sangiovese grown at Mastrojanni in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, and it has settled into a mature, tertiary profile. On the nose expect dried cherry and cranberry, rose petal and violet, with notes of cedar, sweet tobacco and gentle leather. The palate is mid weight and silky, supported by lively old school acidity and fine resolved tannins that frame flavors of cherry skin, dried herbs and subtle tea like notes. There is a warm spice and cedar thread through the finish along with a faint balsamic or underbrush note that speaks to long bottle age. Mastrojanni was founded in 1975 and the estate preserves historic vintages in its archive, and their Brunello traditionally saw extended oak aging in large casks which contributes to the wine’s composed texture and restrained oak character.

About the grape

Brunello di Montalcino is made from the local Sangiovese clone often called Sangiovese Grosso or Brunello, a selection developed in Montalcino in the 19th century by the Biondi Santi family to give thicker skins and greater aging potential. This Sangiovese material is prized for its strong structure and site sensitivity, and producers like Mastrojanni typically cultivate low yields, careful canopy management and sometimes older clonal selections to concentrate flavors and tannins. The vineyards around Montalcino sit on varied soils of marl and clay, often at higher altitude than surrounding Tuscan areas, which helps the grape retain acidity while developing phenolic ripeness for long cellar aging. In classic Brunello production the grape is fermented and then aged extensively in large oak casks or barrels to soften tannin and shape the wine without obscuring the grape character, a practice Mastrojanni follows for its 1981 bottling.

Quick facts

• 🏺 Mastrojanni began bottling Brunello only a few years before 1981, so a 1981 bottle is from the estate’s very early era and shows the winery’s original style and spirit.
• 🌿 The 1981 Brunello was made in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, a cooler southeastern pocket of Montalcino whose Orcia-valley microclimate gives these early Mastrojanni wines a distinctive lift and herbal note.
• 🛢️ Early Mastrojanni Brunellos like the 1981 were aged in the estate’s traditional large casks, which helps explain their long-lived, silky evolution and old‑school tertiary character today.
• 💎 Bottles from 1981 are collectible partly because Mastrojanni kept small, parcel-driven productions in its early years, making authentic early-vintage examples relatively rare on the market.
• 👪 Although the Mastrojanni estate later joined the Illy family, a 1981 bottle predates that change and represents the original family era that built the winery’s reputation in Montalcino.

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.