DOCG Red

Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi
Grape
Sangiovese
Region
Tuscany
ABV
14.5%
Body
Medium to full

Frescobaldi's 100% Sangiovese Brunello from Tenuta CastelGiocondo at Montalcino, grown on galestro, clay and Pliocene sand. Two years in Slavonian oak casks and French barriques give black cherry, violet, leather and warm spice over firm, finely matu

Best price
£39.90

2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep

Prices read daily from 8 UK retailers. We earn a commission on some links; it never changes the order.

Where to buy Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino

£39.90 best price · 8 retailers in stock · checked 13 Sep 2026

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

Svinando Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£39.90 £53.20/L
Xtrawine Best price 2021 · 75cl · checked 12 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£43.00 £57.33/L
Vino Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£44.90 £59.87/L
Houseofdecant Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£51.99 £69.32/L
Great Wines Direct Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£52.02 £69.36/L
Millesima Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£52.40 £69.87/L
Greatwine Best price 2014 · 75cl · checked 4 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£59.50 £79.33/L
Greatwine Best price 2020 · 75cl · checked 12 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£61.00 £81.33/L
Great Wines Direct Best price 2013 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£76.82 £102.43/L
Great Wines Direct Best price 2011 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£78.64 £104.85/L
Hedonism Best price 1997 · 75cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£80.00 £106.67/L
Greatwine Best price 2013 · 75cl · checked 12 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£88.00 £117.33/L
Greatwine Best price 2011 · 75cl · checked 12 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£88.00 £117.33/L
Greatwine Best price 2010 · 75cl · checked 12 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£88.00 £117.33/L
Svinando Best price 2019 · Magnum 150cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£94.00 £62.67/L
Vino Best price 2020 · Magnum 150cl · checked 13 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£99.00 £66.00/L

Stock status is read from each retailer’s page once a day and may lag. Case and magnum listings show a per-bottle or per-litre equivalent and sit outside the best-price figure.

Tasting Notes

What is in the glass of CastelGiocondo Brunello

A drinker-consensus and producer-anchored read of Frescobaldi's 100% Sangiovese from Tenuta CastelGiocondo, aged two years in Slavonian oak and French barrique.

Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial
Tasted on
6 June 2026
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Taste profile
Body Light / Full
Tannins Smooth / Grippy
Sweetness Dry / Sweet
Acidity Soft / Crisp
Nose

This comes from Frescobaldi's CastelGiocondo estate at Montalcino. The bouquet leads with black cherry, raspberry and pomegranate, lifted by violet and rose. Producer and Italian-trade notes consistently flag a spicy second layer of white pepper, anise and clove. They flag tertiary tobacco, coffee and tea leaf too, from two years in Slavonian oak and small French oak barrels.

Rose petalRose petal
VioletViolet
Black cherryBlack cherry
PlumPlum
TobaccoTobacco
LeatherLeather
Black pepperBlack pepper
LiquoriceLiquorice
Palate

This is 100% Sangiovese. The palate is full-bodied, with a dense, finely matured tannic frame. That is the structure Brunello drinkers expect from galestro, clay and Pliocene sand soils. The 32 days on the skins show in the texture, while 14.5% alcohol stays balanced by Tuscan acidity that keeps the warm fruit fresh.

Finish

The finish is long and warm. It closes on liquorice and balsamic spice over savoury leather. That persistence is what earns CastelGiocondo its mid-range Brunello standing.

Overall

This is Frescobaldi's flagship Montalcino estate wine, released five years after harvest and built to cellar. Critics rate it highly: James Suckling 94 and Wine Spectator 93 for the 2020. The Vivino crowd gives the label 4.3 from over 70,000 ratings. They praise its balance of power and elegance for braised meat and aged Tuscan cheese.

Best by 2038
Live UK pricing

Where CastelGiocondo Brunello is stocked now

Live UK and import listings for the Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello, across vintages from 2010 to 2020 and standard 750ml and magnum formats.

Best price · 75 cl £39.90 at svinando
Price spread £39.90 - £99.00 Across 8 UK retailers tracked
Retailers tracked 8UK 16 in stock
Vintages live 2021 · 2020 · 2019 Current release: 2021
Per-litre (75 cl basis) £53.20 Per-litre price for the lowest current offer
Last checked 13 Sep 2026 Refreshed once every 24 hours
Wine fit score

How CastelGiocondo Brunello scores for your table

Six dimensions scoring this Montalcino DOCG for food, value, cellaring and occasion against the rest of the Italian range.

Best with food 9.0/10

Medium-to-firm Sangiovese tannin and bright Tuscan acidity make CastelGiocondo a natural table red for braised and grilled meat and aged cheese.

Best for cellar 8.8/10

Brunello rules mandate two years in oak and five years before release; CastelGiocondo from exceptional years like 2010 and 2019 cellars well past two decades.

Best for an occasion 8.8/10

A prestigious Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from Frescobaldi's flagship Montalcino estate, priced and structured for celebration meals.

Best value 7.8/10

Named-estate Brunello DOCG; lowest live price near 40 pounds sits a touch under the category median, with most listings spread to the mid-90s for a recognised Frescobaldi label.

Best intro to this style 5.8/10

Pure indigenous Sangiovese at top DOCG level is a classic reference, but the structured tannin and 14.5% body and the 40-pounds-plus price make it a step up from an entry red.

Best everyday bottle 2.2/10

A five-year-aged, 40-pounds-plus DOCG built for cellaring and special meals, not a midweek 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)
Vintages

CastelGiocondo Brunello vintage by vintage

Montalcino vintage character for each available year, from the historic 2010 and classic 2019 to the cooler, drink-early 2014.

2021 Current release
Lowest price
£43.00
Retailers
1 in stock
2020 Previous release
Lowest price
£39.90
Retailers
7 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now through 2038

A warm year tempered by enough rainfall to keep freshness, giving a powerful, rich CastelGiocondo with real ageing potential. James Suckling scored the 2020 94 points; Wine Spectator 93.

2019 Previous release
Lowest price
£94.00
Retailers
1 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now through 2040

A classic Montalcino vintage of freshness, elegance and depth. CastelGiocondo 2019 has the structure for long cellaring; this format is the 1.5-litre magnum, which ages more slowly still.

2014 Previous release
Lowest price
£59.50
Retailers
1 in stock
ABV
14.5%
Window
Drink now through 2026

A cool, wet Montalcino vintage growers called difficile. Careful selection at CastelGiocondo yielded a vibrant, finesse-led wine to enjoy early rather than lay down.

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

Why Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello is priced where it is

The cost levers behind a Brunello DOCG: five years to release, two years of Slavonian and French oak, and old Sangiovese on galestro at Montalcino.

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 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, Firenze. Directions

Wine route in the zone: Brunello and Rosso loop.

04

Reading the label

  • Marchesi de’ FrescobaldiProducer / estate
  • SangioveseGrape varieties
  • Brunello di Montalcino DOCGGeographic indication and quality tier
  • 2021Vintage (year of harvest)
  • Producer-declared ABV · 75 clAlcohol by volume and bottle size
  • Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05

What sits behind the price of Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino

Tracked from
£39.90
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
5 up / 1 down
Main factor
Five years locked up before release
  1. 01

    Five years locked up before release

    Cost up

    Brunello DOCG cannot be sold until five years after harvest, so Frescobaldi finances years of CastelGiocondo stock before any return, a cost baked into the 40-to-90-pound shelf price.

  2. 02

    Two years in Slavonian and French oak

    Cost up

    Around two years in Slavonian oak casks plus French barriques means real barrel cost and cellar space per bottle, well above the few months an entry Tuscan red sees.

  3. 03

    100% Sangiovese on galestro at Montalcino

    Cost up

    Single-estate Sangiovese on galestro, clay and Pliocene sand at Tenuta CastelGiocondo carries Montalcino land and yield costs, with the DOCG capping yield at 8 tonnes per hectare.

  4. 04

    Frescobaldi brand and DOCG status

    Cost up

    A recognised Frescobaldi flagship and a top DOCG classification command a premium; critic scores like James Suckling 94 for the 2020 reinforce the asking price.

  5. 05

    UK duty and VAT

    Cost up

    UK still-wine duty is 2.67 pounds a bottle at 2026 rates, and 20% VAT on a 50-pound bottle adds about 8.30 pounds, so roughly 11 pounds of the price is tax before the wine itself.

  6. 06

    Competition among importers

    Cost down

    Several UK and EU sellers list CastelGiocondo, and one outlet drops the 2020 to about 40 pounds, so shopping around pulls the effective price below the mid-range norm.

01

Five years locked up before release

Cost up

Brunello DOCG cannot be sold until five years after harvest, so Frescobaldi finances years of CastelGiocondo stock before any return, a cost baked into the 40-to-90-pound shelf price.

Perfect Pairings

Dishes that go with this wine

Food Pairing

Sangiovese tannin and Tuscan acidity: dishes that fit this Brunello

Pairings built on CastelGiocondo's firm tannin, 14.5% body and savoury spice, leaning on the braised and grilled meats of its home region.

Fat cutting Strong match

Tuscan grilled and braised beef

CastelGiocondo's firm, finely matured Sangiovese tannin scrubs the fat and char of grilled and slow-cooked beef, while its Tuscan acidity refreshes the palate between bites. This is the home pairing: bistecca from the same region as the wine.

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

Tannin softening Strong match

Slow-cooked lamb and red-meat ragu

The protein and collagen in braised lamb soften Brunello's structured tannin, so the 14.5% body reads as plush rather than austere. Anise and clove spice in the wine echo the warm seasoning of a southern lamb ragu.

Try with: Agnello Ragu Lucano · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Brasato al Barolo · More pairings →

Salt balance Good match

Aged hard sheep's cheese

Mature pecorino's salt and crystalline crunch are balanced by CastelGiocondo's ripe black-cherry fruit and warmth, while the wine's leather and tobacco tertiary notes meet the cheese's savoury depth. Keep the cheese well-aged so it can stand up to two years of oak.

Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · More pairings →

Body matching Good match

Tuscan game and wild boar

A full-bodied Montalcino Sangiovese matches the weight of game without being overwhelmed. The wine's forest-floor and leather notes bridge to the gamey, savoury character of boar, and its acidity cuts the richness of a long-simmered sauce.

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

Aromatic bridge Good match

Herb-roasted and peppered meats

The white pepper, anise and balsamic spice CastelGiocondo picks up from French barrique and Slavonian oak bridge directly to rosemary, black pepper and juniper seasonings on roasted meat, so the dish and the glass share an aromatic thread.

Try with: Fiorentina steak · Agnello Ragu Lucano · Brasato al Barolo · More pairings →

Avoid Clash

Avoid chilli heat, sweet glazes and oily fish

CastelGiocondo's 14.5% alcohol and structured tannin amplify chilli heat and turn metallic against oily fish, while its dry savoury profile clashes with sweet-and-sour glazes. Pour a softer wine for these. Reach instead for a fresh Tuscan white or a lighter red.

Skip with: Vindaloo · Sweet-and-sour pork · Grilled mackerel · Sushi · Pairing guide →

Drinking + cellar

Cellaring Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello

Drinking windows by vintage: the exceptional 2010 and 2019 reward long cellaring, while warm years like 2020 hold to the late 2030s.

Decanting
h1

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

Cellar potential
High

Brunello rules mandate two years in oak and five years before release; CastelGiocondo from exceptional years like 2010 and 2019 cellars well past two decades.

Buy now or wait?
Buy now

£39.90 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.

Sources & trust

Sources behind this CastelGiocondo Brunello page

Prices & stock

Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 13 Sep 2026, 01:21 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 and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.

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

Common Questions

It is 100% Sangiovese, as Brunello di Montalcino DOCG requires. The fruit comes from Frescobaldi's Tenuta CastelGiocondo estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, on galestro, clay and Pliocene sand soils.

After a roughly 32-day skin maceration, the wine ages around two years in Slavonian oak casks and French oak barriques, then at least four months in bottle. Brunello cannot be released until five years after the harvest.

Black cherry, raspberry and pomegranate with violet and rose, then white pepper, anise and clove, leather and tobacco. The palate is full-bodied with firm, finely matured tannins, 14.5% alcohol and a long, warm, liquorice-tinged finish.

Tuscan grilled and braised beef such as Fiorentina steak, slow-cooked lamb and red-meat ragu, game, and aged pecorino. Avoid chilli heat, sweet glazes and oily fish, which fight the tannin and alcohol.

The exceptional 2010 and classic 2019 reward long cellaring, while the warm 2020 (94 points James Suckling, 93 Wine Spectator) holds well to the late 2030s. The cooler 2014 is best enjoyed early.

You May Also Appreciate

Affiliate disclosure. Some links above are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Editorial coverage, ratings and tasting notes are written independently and a retailer cannot pay to be listed or to be ranked higher.

How retailer prices are sourced. Prices and stock are read from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Outbound buy links carry rel="nofollow sponsored noopener". The list is sorted by price; we do not accept payment for placement.

What we will never do. Imply we tasted a bottle when we didn’t. Imply stock when a retailer is out. Imply independence on links that are paid affiliate links.

Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino