Three Brunello di Montalcino bottles from the same producer, with three different names and three different prices. People standing in front of our wine selection nearly always ask the same question: what is the actual difference? It is a fair question, because Riserva and Montosoli each tell a different story. We explain it through the three Brunellos from Altesino in our collection.
How we make this comparison
We deliberately separate three kinds of information: the official DOCG rules, the origin of the grapes and our own tasting impression. Annata and Riserva differ under the production rules in release date and minimum bottle ageing. Montosoli, by contrast, refers to one specific vineyard. Our descriptions of style, structure and use at the table are our assessment after tasting these Altesino wines ourselves. That makes it clear where verifiable fact ends and our advice begins.
One grape, one town, strict rules
First, the fundamentals. Brunello di Montalcino comes from the hills around the town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany and is always made from 100% Sangiovese. No blend and no exceptions. The DOCG rules are among Italy's strictest: a standard Brunello, often called the annata, cannot be released before 1 January of the fifth year after harvest. It must spend at least two years in oak.
That patience is precisely what makes Brunello special. Many red wines revolve around primary fruit; Brunello is defined by what develops afterwards: leather, tobacco, dried herbs and cherry, with its colour slowly moving towards garnet.
Altesino, based on Montalcino's northern side, has made this style for decades with a notably elegant touch. We selected three of its Brunellos, which together provide a clear view of how the denomination works.
The annata: the producer's calling card
Let us be clear: there is nothing ordinary about the Brunello di Montalcino 2020. This is the wine through which a producer shows its house style, assembled from grapes grown in several vineyards around Montalcino. Wine professionals call this the annata, or vintage wine.
At Altesino that means ruby red moving towards garnet, ripe red fruit, an earthy note and the fresh acidity that defines Sangiovese. It is already beautiful with ossobuco or grilled red meat, yet it can continue to develop for years. If you want to understand Brunello, this is where to begin.
The Riserva: more time, only in outstanding years
With Brunello, the word Riserva tells you about time. A Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019 cannot be released before 1 January of the sixth year after harvest, one calendar year later than the annata. The 2019 Riserva could therefore be released from 1 January 2025.
Equally important, a serious producer makes a Riserva only when the fruit is exceptional. It is a double selection: the best grapes and an excellent vintage. You taste that additional maturation in its depth, tertiary aromas, structure and longer finish. This is the bottle for a major occasion, or for a cellar where it can wait for a future milestone.
Montosoli: not more time, but one remarkable place
The third bottle is the Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 2020. The distinction here is not the ageing period but the place. Montosoli is a hill northeast of Montalcino that has been regarded for generations as one of the denomination's finest sites: a true cru.
Its cooler position and stony, limestone-rich soils produce Sangiovese with notable finesse: more fragrant, precise and taut than many broader Brunello styles. Altesino has bottled the fruit from this hill separately since the 1970s and was among the first producers to argue that a single Montalcino vineyard deserved its own name.
Taste it alongside the Riserva and their different personalities become clear. The Riserva impresses through power and depth; Montosoli draws you in with elegance and precision. Which is better is mainly a matter of taste. At our table, that discussion rarely ends with a winner and usually ends with two empty glasses.
Which one should you choose?
Our honest advice is simple. Start with the annata if you want to discover the denomination. Choose the Riserva for a major occasion or the cellar. Pick Montosoli when you want to experience what one exceptional hill can do with Sangiovese.
For a gentler introduction, try the Rosso di Montalcino 2024 from the same producer. It is Brunello's younger sibling: the same grape and territory, but ready sooner and at a friendlier price. For a different interpretation, the Brunello from Banfi offers a useful contrast from the southern part of the denomination.
Want to discover more unusual bottles? Read our guide to five wines you may not know yet, or ask for free personal wine advice via WhatsApp. As two cousins who tasted these wines in Montalcino, we are happy to help you choose the right bottle for your moment.
