La Serena Brunello di Montalcino - 750ml

La Serena Brunello di Montalcino is produced by the Mantengoli family on their estate in the Torrenieri subzone, situated in the northeastern corner of the Montalcino appellation at approximately 400 meters above sea level. The family has owned the La Rasa farm since the 1930s, though it was not until 1988 that twin brothers Andrea and Marcello Mantengoli began producing wine under the La Serena label. The estate's vineyards — roughly ten hectares dedicated exclusively to Sangiovese — sit in soils of tufo, sand, schist, and galestro, a compositional diversity that contributes structural complexity to the wine across multiple soil strata. The neighboring estates include Cerbaiona, Casanova di Neri, and Biondi Santi's Il Greppo, placing La Serena within one of the most historically acclaimed production zones in the appellation. Organic farming has been practiced throughout and officially certified since the 2013 vintage.

Production follows the traditional Brunello approach — 100% Sangiovese, harvested by hand and selected on a sorting table in the cellar before fermentation. The wine undergoes its primary fermentation in stainless steel before malolactic fermentation in a combination of barriques, larger wooden casks of 30 to 40 hectoliters, and truncated cone vats. Oak aging then proceeds for a minimum of two years in cask, as required by DOCG regulations, followed by extended bottle refinement before release — a timeline that for Brunello Normale runs a minimum of five years from harvest. Winemaker Paolo Caciorgna works alongside agronomist Lucio Maruotti to manage both vineyard and cellar quality across each vintage.

The nose is ethereal and layered, with dark cherry, dried flowers, and a fine spice character that emerges gradually from the glass. The palate is full and structured, with the firm but velvety tannins characteristic of the Torrenieri zone — an area whose soils produce wines of considerable structure but with a degree of approachability in youth that distinguishes them from the more austere expressions of the western slopes. The finish is long and persistent, closing on iron minerality, dried herb, and a sustained red fruit note that reflects both the quality of the Sangiovese and the patience of the extended aging protocol.