Magical Brunello: Conti Costanti
Picking favorite wines is not easy for me. There are so many amazing grapes, regions, and producers that fro me, it really comes down to a little groups and bubbles of wines and producers that I call ‘my favorite’. The Brunellos from Andrea Costanti are in that small group at the very top of my list. These are wines that speak not only to the utter deliciousness, power, longevity, and beauty of Brunello di Montalcino, but also are wines that evoke history and emotion from my personal experiences with them. I am thrilled to share their wines on the menu here at the East Lawrence Wine Academy & Tasting Room and just received my allocation of some of their new releases (read on for info on these specific wines). Costanti is one of the original 5 producers of Brunello di Montalcino, dating back to the 1870s. They are located next to/across from Biondi Santi, the famous creator of the Sangiovese Grosso clone that defines these wines. Always made with 100% Sangiovese Grosso, Brunello must be aged for 3 years in wood and another 2 years in bottle at the estate minimum before release (Rosso di Montalcino requires 18 months total but with the same grape). Irrigation is not permitted in the vineyards after vines are 4 years old, although recent changes due to climate change have permitted some irrigation in extreme summers by consent of the Consorzio. Riservas are given an extra year of aging, and can become some of the most profound and expressive wines in the world. Most Brunello display notes of cherries, raspberries, chocolate, herbs, leather, and varying degrees of earth and spice depending on winemaking and terroir. They are known for their acidity and tannin contents which help them to be among the most age-worthy wines in the world.
I first visited the Costanti estate in 2013. I fell in love with the wines and the people here almost immediately and returned on every visit to Italy until 2020 when I had to cancel my trip due to COVID. Costanti became the favorite venue for the first leg of the Tuscan wine tour that I led each summer as part of the Cortona Sessions for New Music. It was such a tremendous place to take my young students to really learn and understand about the history and significance of this wine, and to see a place where near perfection is achieved amongst the rugged and rustic natural landscape of Montalcino. Our visits to Costanti were epic, featuring as many as 6 wines. Always a Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva were there, offering some of the absolute best wines that the region offers each year. Many times, we also enjoyed their fantastic Grappa di Brunello and Grappe di Brunello Riserva, testing the metal of our students as they would go on to several more hours of wine tasting during the day! In 2016, we tasted the first vintage of their Rosso di Montalcino ‘Vermiglio’ (2014) which was produced in a year that they did not make Brunello and has become a regular part of their lineup. Our group would take a beautiful tour of the cellars and the vineyards, and arrive at the grand tables in the tasting room where Emmanuela and I would pour tastes of these wines for as many as 35 people. The joy of the Costanti staff in watching our faces light up with each sip was so special. One summer, a number of the students had new headshots done in the courtyard by our photographer, and on another trip, we were able to call a vet who came to save a bird that had a broken wing just outside the tasting room. It is such an epically beautiful place and I miss it dearly! I can’t wait to take my next group their for a visit in 2023!
My own experiences with Costanti at home have included some very special bottles including a magnum of 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva that we opened for a big birthday party, a 1990 Brunello Riserva that Mary and I enjoyed in Chicago before seeing Hamilton, and a number of bottles from the 2000s and 2010s that are always amazing. One of the challenges with Costanti Brunello is how much aging truly lets the wine shine. It can be so hard to hold onto these bottles long enough, so I love when I find them at auctions or when I am able to purchase back vintages that are ready to go.
Costanti’s wines are full of deep flavor and can be extremely expressive. The menu here at ELWATR now carries 3 of Costanti’s tremendous wines.
2016 Brunello di Montalcino: 2016 is by all accounts one of the greatest (if not the greatest) vintages in the history of the appellation. While this wine could benefit from at least 3-4 more years of aging in the cellar, if given time in the glass it opens and shows the absolutely incredible quality of this estate. Dried floral notes, deep earthiness, and tobacco combine with the hallmark red fruits of Costanti’s Brunelli. This is a wine that easily has 30 years of aging potential if not more.
2017 Brunello di Montalcino: I was able to taste this with Andrea Costanti in a virtual tasting back in February. While not quite as overwhelmingly incredible a vintage as 2016, the 2017 Brunelli are also exceptional but are perhaps more approachable. Spicey and a bit nutty, the red fruits are ever-present in this wine. A bit less of the deep earth and dried flowers, the wines is a touch fresher. Again, the bright acidity remains and the range and the sweet tobacco and leather notes round out the wine. It is tremendous!
2017 Rosso di Montalcino ‘Vermiglio’: Aged longer than a normal Rosso di Montalcino, this wine spends 24 months in a mix of 500L tonneau and large Slavonian oak barrels. I ADORE these wines because of their incredible brightness of the cherry flavors and the softer tannins and more immediate drinkability. This is an example of world-class Brunello grapes and winemaking being done on a much more approachable and affordable scale.
