Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Under $60 for one of the very best wines of the year? From the hottest newcomer on the Brunello wine scene of the past few decades? There’s so much to love about this 97 point flagship from Castello Romitorio...but haste is needed to make one yours!

The 2019 Brunello vintage is darn near perfection, and the fine folks at Castello Romitorio did a fine job of capturing that lightning in a bottle. We tasted this back in April 2024, on the last day of our two-week VinItaly sprint/marathon, after a long and memorable night/dawn in Verona’s Piazza delle Erbe...and a more rag-tag, road-weary band of brothers was nowhere to be found. And then, after a single sip – Romitorio energized and revitalized our wits, our taste buds, and our very being. We HAD to make a deal – for you – and all the First Bottlers out there, on one of the absolute FINEST Brunello di Montalcinos of this 5-star vintage!

Castello Romitorio is headed up by Filippo Chia, who brought the winery to life in 2006. His father, Sandro, purchased the old hermitage property in Montalcino back in 1984, and for over two decades it served as the Società Agricola Castello Romitorio, which was dedicated to “the study, exploration, and promotion of wines belonging to the DOCG and DOC denominations of Montalcino.” They planted sangiovese and other heritage varieties across their lands, with a particular focus on the oldest clones available. These plantings account for over half of the Romitorio land today, and Filippo simply couldn’t resist utilizing this prized fruit to craft wines of his own.

The centaur that graces this label was specifically chosen to represent the duality and dichotomy of man and nature. The grapes are the wildness of nature, inspired to grow by the fickle whims of the earth, yet guided and controlled by the oversight of man. It is a partnership and cohesion that cannot thrive without one another – and will not thrive if either partner makes too strong of an influence. 2019 was all about balance – and this wine represents that as well as any Brunello from the vintage that we’ve tasted thus far. Luscious cherry kirsch, with a sanguine minerality and a beautiful lift of blood orange zest entrances you right from the start. Over time in the glass, a hypnotic allure of rose petals, with whispers of summer sage, lavender, cedar, and sandalwood – all grounded with elemental notes of crushed gravel and sun-baked clay. This wine is going to impress for decades yet, but it paints a very classical vision of Brunello even in its youth – and holding on to these beauties will certainly be a challenge of will for all but the most dedicated collector. We’ve got these at the BEST price in the entire USA – and if you’re as savvy as we think – you’ll waste no time adding a few to your collection!

PAIRING IDEAS: Pork Ragu with Pappardelle is my go-to for this. The rich, umami character of the slow-roasted tomatoes, the sweet and savory unctuousness of the pork, and the wide-flat pappardelle to wrap up every last drop!