Founded in 1984, Castello Romitorio has been committed to the study, exploration and promotion of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. This has been possible thanks to the work of the Italian artist Sandro Chia, and his bond with Franco Martini, the first cellar master of Castello Romitorio, whose family has been producing Brunello di Montalcino for generations. Sandro Chia planted Romitorio’s first vineyards from 1984 to 1993 using ancient sangiovese varietals local to Montalcino. Today these old vines compose about 50% of Romitorio’s vineyards and serve as an immense heritage of Biodiversity. This bond now continues between Sandro’s son, Filippo Chia, and Franco’s son, Stefano Martini.
In 2006 Filippo Chia set upon the journey of building a new cellar and planting new vineyards at Castello Romitorio following in the footsteps of his father Sandro. He began by conducting careful research on the old vines and from there he decided which might be the most suitable Sangiovese varietals to plant in the new plots.
With the assistance of a highly qualified team, a new web of beautiful vineyards slowly took shape. Today these vineyards span from the top of the Romitorio hill starting at altitudes of 450 meters down to 200 meters. Each plot has been carefully contemplated with a unique patchwork of different clones of sangiovese.
Filippo’s goal was to initiate a process of renewal and a renaissance across all aspects of winemaking starting from the vineyards and therefore necessarily from the soil.
Tasting Notes:
There is something heady and invigorating about this: a lifted nose of oak and fruit with notions of Marasca cherry, violet and pomegranate. Earthy hints appear, too, as do nuances of sage and soy with increasing age.
The body has densely woven, firm but fine tannins, according to the wine a great structure; a skeleton upon which fruit, oak and aroma can express themselves fully.
The wine unfolds slowly in the glass, becoming more sinuous and sensuous with air while the gentle astringency of the tannins is very moreish. Bottle age brings welcome tertiary notes of leather and herb, both grip and aroma are long lasting. This is impressive upon release but even more true to itself with advancing age.
Critical Acclaim:
95+/100 Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
95/100 Raffaele Vecchione, Wines Critic
95/100 Luca Gardini, Gardini Notes
94/100 Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator
94/100 Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
94/100 Eric Guido, Vinous.com
93/100 Falstaff, falstaff.com
17.5/20 Christian Eder, Vinum