DOCG Red

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Azienda Agricola Altesino

Grape
Sangiovese
Denomination
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Region
Tuscany

Altesino's classic Brunello, 100% Sangiovese from northern Montalcino, aged at least two years in oak. Violet, tobacco and wild berry over a warm, velvety, age-worthy palate. A benchmark Tuscan red, around 39 to 53 pounds.

Best price
£41.30 Save 15%

2021 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 4 bottles

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Vintages 2021 2020 2018

Prices read daily from 3 UK retailers. We earn a commission on some links; it never changes the order.

Where to buy Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

£41.30 best price · 2 retailers in stock · checked 29 Oct 2026

Stock is shown where the retailer publishes it, offers are sorted by price, and unavailable offers can’t be clicked.

Vino.com Best price Save 15% 2021 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery usually £16.90, free on 4 bottles Code WINE6R8T: £17 off your first wine order with £180 minimum spend, until 13 Jan 2028
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£41.30 was regular price £48.59 £55.07/L
Buy
Millesima Best price 2018 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery £20, free on 5 bottles
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£55.40 £73.87/L
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Millesima Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 29 Oct · Delivery £20, free on 5 bottles
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£55.50 £74.00/L
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Unavailable (1)
8wines Best price 2019 · 75cl · checked 27 Oct · Delivery charged at checkout Code NEWCUST8J: Enter NEWCUST8J to get £8 off with the minimum wine order of £88. Valid only for new customers, until 31 Dec 2027
Out of stock
£46.56 £62.08/L
Out of stock

Stock status is read from each retailer’s page once a day and may lag.

Tasting Notes

Violet, tobacco and wild berry: tasting Altesino's Brunello

A broad, intense Sangiovese with sweet violet and underbrush, and a dry, warm, velvety palate, as Altesino's own sheet has it. Tobacco, oak, leather and red cherry come back in every glass.

Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial
Tasted on
11 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Typical of Sangiovese
Body Light / Full
Tannins Smooth / Grippy
Sweetness Dry / Sweet
Acidity Soft / Crisp
Nose

Sweet violet and underbrush lead, the notes Altesino itself puts first. They lift above red cherry, tobacco and a vanilla note from time in oak. Tobacco, leather and red fruit are what you find glass after glass.

Rose petalRose petal
VioletViolet
Black cherryBlack cherry
CherryCherry
PlumPlum
TobaccoTobacco
LeatherLeather
VanillaVanilla
Palate

Dry, warm and velvety. The wine has the fine tannic grip and lively acidity Sangiovese brings to Montalcino. A minimum of two years in oak rounds the structure without burying the fruit, so the wine feels full-bodied but elegant rather than heavy.

Finish

The close is long and savoury, tobacco and leather trailing the red-cherry fruit. A garnet-edged maturity points to its 20-year ageing capability.

Overall

This is Altesino's classic Brunello, the annata that sits below the Montosoli cru and the Riserva, and a reliable benchmark at the price. Drinkers like it year after year. The outstanding 2019 is the one to cellar, while 2020 drinks sooner.

Drink now Best by 2040
Live UK pricing

What sits behind a 39 pound Brunello from Altesino

Three vintages are live now, 2018, 2019 and 2020, from about 39.02 to 53.20 pounds across two UK retailers. The 2019 is the value pick, an outstanding Montalcino year at the bottom of that range.

Best price · 75 cl · 2021 £41.30 at Vino.com
75cl · 2021 available from Vino.com £41.30, in stock
Vintages live 2021 · 2020 · 2018 Current release: 2021
Per-litre (75cl · 2021 basis) £55.07 Lowest current 75cl · 2021 offer
Last checked 29 Oct 2026 Refreshed once every 24 hours
Other vintages and formats: 2 price lines

75cl · 2018: £55.40, 1 UK retailer

75cl · 2020: £55.50, 1 UK retailer

Wine fit score

How Altesino Brunello scores for food, value and cellar

A medium-tannin, bright-acid Sangiovese that scores high for food and cellaring; at 39 to 53 pounds it is fair value for estate Brunello, less so as an everyday pour.

Best with food 9.0/10

Medium-tannin, bright-acid Sangiovese is a classic food red; Altesino names red meat, game and aged cheese itself.

Best for cellar 9.0/10

DOCG ageing rules plus two years in oak and a stated 20-year capability make this a genuine cellar wine, led by the 2019.

Best for an occasion 8.8/10

A prestige DOCG from a named Montalcino estate at a special-occasion price point.

Best value 7.2/10

At 39 to 53 pounds this estate Brunello undercuts much of the DOCG category; the 2019 in particular is strong QPR.

Best intro to this style 5.8/10

A pure-Sangiovese benchmark but firm, savoury and premium-priced, so more rewarding once a drinker knows tannic Italian reds.

Best everyday bottle 2.4/10

Too structured and too expensive for midweek; this is an occasion bottle, not a house pour.

Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our Wine Fit Score methodology.

Denomination Compliance Snapshot

Brunello di Montalcino in five fields

A compact view of what the Brunello di Montalcino denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.

Allowed grapes
1 varieties listed
This bottle: Sangiovese.
Minimum ageing
48 months minimum
Of which 24 months in oak.
Region / area
Comune di Montalcino, Toscana
Source: Editorial.
Style
DOCG · Brunello di Montalcino
Minimum ABV at this colour: 12.5%.
Classification
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
What that means →
Vintages

Altesino Brunello across 2018, 2019 and 2020

Montalcino's 2019 is the standout, an exceptional vintage built for the long haul; 2018 was cooler and is drinking earlier; 2020 is warm, ripe and approachable. Altesino puts the wine's ageing capability at 20 years and more.

2021 Current release
Best price
£41.30
Retailers
1 in stock
2020 Previous release
Best price
£55.50
Retailers
1 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2038

A warm but balanced year, 2020 is ripe and approachable, with black cherry fruit, fine tannin and lively acidity that make it the earliest-drinking of the three.

2019 Sold through
Best price
not listed
Retailers
0 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2043

2019 is an outstanding Montalcino vintage, balancing ripe Sangiovese fruit with firm tannin and bright acidity. Built for the long haul, it rewards a decade or more in the cellar.

2018 Previous release
Best price
£55.40
Retailers
1 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2033

A cooler, wetter Montalcino growing season gave a fresher, more classically proportioned Brunello that is drinking earlier than the warmer years either side.

2020 Previous release
Best price
£55.50
Retailers
1 in stock
Window
Drink now through 2038

A warm but balanced year, 2020 is ripe and approachable, with black cherry fruit, fine tannin and lively acidity that make it the earliest-drinking of the three.

Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.

The disciplinare, the place, the label

Altesino, Montosoli and a benchmark Montalcino estate

Founded in 1972, Altesino farms more than 80 hectares in Montalcino and owns the celebrated Montosoli cru. It pioneered single-vineyard Brunello and French-barrel ageing, and bottles this classic Brunello under Italy's first DOCG.

01

DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean

Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.

Brunello di Montalcino is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.

02

The denomination rules, in detail

  • Allowed grapes. 1 varieties listed in the disciplinare
  • Yield ceiling. 8.0 tonnes per hectare
  • Minimum ABV. 12.5% vol
  • Minimum ageing. 48 months total (of which 24 in oak)
  • Tasting panel. Mandatory pre-release tasting commission
03

Region and area context

Brunello di Montalcino falls within Tuscany, covering Comune di Montalcino, Toscana.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG zone The producer Wine route in the zone

Made at Azienda Agricola Altesino, Montalcino. Directions

Wine route in the zone: Brunello and Rosso loop.

04

Reading the label

  • Azienda Agricola AltesinoProducer / estate
  • SangioveseGrape varieties
  • Brunello di Montalcino DOCGGeographic indication and quality tier
  • 2021Vintage (year of harvest)
  • 75 clBottle size
  • Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05

What sits behind the price of Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

Tracked from
£41.30
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
5 up / 1 down
Main factor
Minimum two years in oak before release
  1. 01

    Estate Sangiovese from ~80 ha in northern Montalcino

    Cost up

    Altesino farms over 80 hectares around its Montalcino cellar; estate-grown Brunello fruit costs more than bought-in grapes.

  2. 02

    Minimum two years in oak before release

    Cost up

    Altesino's sheet holds the wine at least two years in oak plus four months in bottle, years of cellar capital tied up before a bottle is sold.

  3. 03

    Brunello di Montalcino DOCG rules and release tasting

    Cost up

    DOCG was Italy's first quality tier and requires a release tasting; the appellation's 8 tonnes per hectare yield ceiling caps volume and lifts unit cost.

  4. 04

    20-year ageing capability and brand demand

    Cost up

    With a stated 20-year-plus cellar life and a following of drinkers who come back year after year, Altesino carries a premium over generic Tuscan Sangiovese.

  5. 05

    UK duty and VAT on a still wine

    Cost up

    UK alcohol duty adds 2.67 pounds per still-wine bottle at or below 15 percent ABV (2026 rates), a fixed slice of the 39 to 53 pound shelf price before VAT.

  6. 06

    Classic annata, not the Montosoli cru or Riserva

    Cost down

    This is Altesino's standard Brunello, priced below its single-vineyard Montosoli and Riserva, which keeps it the affordable entry to the range.

01

Estate Sangiovese from ~80 ha in northern Montalcino

Cost up

Altesino farms over 80 hectares around its Montalcino cellar; estate-grown Brunello fruit costs more than bought-in grapes.

Perfect Pairings

Dishes that go with this wine

Lamb shank, plated

Lamb shank
Fiorentina steak, plated

Fiorentina steak
Ribeye steak, plated

Ribeye steak
Cheese board, plated

Cheese board
Lamb Kebab on neutral plate, Lebanese cuisine

Lamb Kebab
Food Pairing

Sangiovese acidity, Tuscan tannin: dishes that fit this Brunello

Altesino points this wine at red and roasted meat, noble game and aged cheese. Its firm Sangiovese tannin and lively acidity make bistecca alla fiorentina, brasato and pecorino the natural Tuscan matches.

Tannin softening Strong match

Bistecca alla fiorentina and grilled red meat

Sangiovese's firm tannin needs protein and fat to soften. The charred crust and rare interior of a fiorentina bind that tannin while the wine's acidity refreshes each bite.

Try with: Fiorentina steak · Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · More pairings →

Body matching Strong match

Slow-braised beef and noble game

The full body and 20-year structure of Brunello match long-cooked, sauced dishes. Tannin and acidity cut through the gelatine and concentration of a braise without being overwhelmed.

Try with: Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Venison Stew · More pairings →

Fat cutting Good match

Porchetta and rich roast pork

Lively Sangiovese acidity slices through the fat of herb-roasted pork, while the savoury tobacco and leather notes echo the crackling and rosemary.

Try with: Porchetta · Roast pork · Lamb shank · More pairings →

Salt balance Good match

Aged pecorino and hard cheese

The salt and crystalline bite of a mature pecorino are tamed by Brunello's fruit and acidity, a pairing Altesino names directly on its technical sheet.

Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · Cheese board · Caciocavallo farcito · More pairings →

Aromatic bridge Good match

Mushroom and truffle pasta

The underbrush and earthy register the producer flags bridges straight to porcini and truffle, where Sangiovese's red fruit lifts the savoury, forest-floor depth.

Try with: Tagliatelle al tartufo di Acqualagna · Tajarin al Tartufo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · More pairings →

Avoid Clash

Fiery chilli heat and delicate raw fish

Brunello's tannin and 14 percent warmth amplify chilli heat and turn metallic against delicate raw fish. Save it for savoury meat, not the spice rack or the sushi counter.

Skip with: Vindaloo · Szechuan beef · Sushi · Oysters · Pairing guide →

Drinking + cellar

Cellaring Altesino Brunello: a 20-year window

The producer rates ageing capability at 20 years and more, and the 2019, an outstanding Montalcino vintage, has the structure to use it. After two years in oak it is approachable young but rewards a decade in the cellar.

Decanting
1 hour

A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.

Serving temperature
16-18°C

Aim for the cooler end on a warm day; warmer end opens up more aromatics.

Cellar potential
High

DOCG ageing rules plus two years in oak and a stated 20-year capability make this a genuine cellar wine, led by the 2019.

Buy now or wait?
Buy now

£41.30 for a 75cl bottle of the 2021, at Vino.com, is the best price we track, and we have no signal of further discounting.

Sources & trust

How we sourced these Altesino tasting notes

Prices & stock

Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 29 Oct 2026, 03:54 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.

Confidence · High
Tasting notes

Drawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic. Drinkers score it 4.2 out of 5 from 51,867 ratings on Vivino.

Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing

From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.

Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs

Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.

Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential

Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.

Confidence · Medium
Related

Explore Sangiovese, Montalcino and Altesino

Producer
Azienda Agricola Altesino Tuscany
Grapes
Sangiovese
Denomination
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Region
Tuscany Region guide
Cuisine
International Cuisine 4 dishes paired Italian Cuisine 1 dishes paired Lebanese Cuisine 1 dishes paired

Common Questions

It is 100% Sangiovese, the Brunello clone grown on Altesino's estate in northern Montalcino. Brunello di Montalcino DOCG must be pure Sangiovese.

Altesino ages it a minimum of two years in oak barrels followed by at least four months in bottle, in line with the Brunello di Montalcino disciplinare.

The producer puts its ageing capability at 20 years and more. The 2019, an outstanding Montalcino vintage, rewards a decade or more in the cellar.

Altesino recommends red and roasted meat, noble game and aged cheese. Bistecca alla fiorentina, brasato and pecorino are classic Tuscan matches for its tannin and acidity.

Expect violet and underbrush over red cherry, tobacco and vanilla, with a dry, warm, velvety palate. Drinkers like it year after year.

Current UK listings cover the 2018, 2019 and 2020 vintages, priced from about 39 to 53 pounds across two retailers.

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Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
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