2017 Conti Costanti, Brunello di Montalcino

Costanti is one of the historic names in Montalcino, based at Colle al Matrichese just outside the town. The estate has bottled under its own name since the 19th century and sits at higher elevation than much of the zone, with vineyards on galestro, the fractured clay-schist soil that helps with drainage in warm years.

This is Sangiovese in a warmer register: cherry, tobacco, dried herbs and leather, with the structure softened enough to drink now. A good bottle for someone who wants mature-feeling Brunello without waiting a decade. The vintage was hot and dry, and many Brunellos show the weight of the season. Costanti's altitude and soils kept the wine from feeling overbuilt.