Fuligni

Proprietor Roberto Guerrini has done an excellent job with these new releases, showing once again why Fuligni remains among the top estates in Montalcino. Guerrini continues to move towards larger casks for his top wines, a choice that is giving the wines a level of transparency and translucency they have always had previously. ANTONIO GALLONI

This beautiful property, surrounding a sixteenth-century Medici villa, was founded in 1923 by a descendant of the Venetian Fulignis. In fact, you can still see the citys symbol, the lion of St. Marco, emblazoned on the labels. The family, however, has long been thoroughly Tuscan and Maria Flora Fuligni and her nephew Roberto Guerrini Fuligni now manage the estate.

Yields are kept extremely low at Fuligni due to a combination of their soil (a stony, clayey galestro marl) the age of the vines (that are between 10 and 55 years old) and severe pruning.  Along with Costanti, Fuligni is one of our very favourite Brunello producers.

 In style the Fuligni wines are a lovely combination of the plush dark fruit of the variety at its best and most profound, with a balance and structure that is only really found in the very greatest wines of the region. They are disarmingly seamless wines but will last for at least 20 years. MICHAEL MCNAMARA