Few years ago I had the pleasure to meet winegrower Andrea Cortonesi, the Uccelliera owner: I saw in him a strong determination and desire to improve his viticulture and his wines always and continuously. Currently can confirm it: he has achieved great results and never stops. Andrea Cortonesi is a forward-thinking and ambitious man.
“l became a farmer by deliberate personal choice – says -. Although I come from an agricultural family, I could have chosen a different path–until, in 1986, I purchased the Uccelliera farm”. Uccelliera means bird house.
Andrea Cortonesi, owner of Uccelliera winery
“My farm is beautiful. Not because it resembles some picture postcard, but because it’s pervaded by human history and by nature’s process. The ancient quarries that yielded the alabaster for the Abbey of Sant’Antimo border my vineyard”.
And also about his philosophy he says: “l want to plant a garden around the estate, next to the olive grove. I see it as a mixture of vegetables and flowers, of the useful and the beautiful. They say that gardens were precisely that in the olden days, but for me it is simply the way to farm today”.
The vineyards cover a surface of around six hectares planted with selected clones and with a high density of big Sangiovese vines. The direction of the rows, the constant and attentive manual care of the vineyard to maintain a balanced growth and a regular thinning of the bunches contribute to the production of grapes that are perfectly ripe, healty and fragrant all essential requirements for a balanced wine rich in structure, suitable for brief and long ageing.
Andrea has always many beautiful things and many good ideas of viticulture and he likes to always wear checked shirts. But now I want to present you an excellent great Tuscan red wine, tasted personally during event called “Barolo Brunello 2017”.
Tasting Note. Brunello di Montalcino 2012 DOCG Uccelliera. In this wine you can hear and look the right winegrower “hand”. It’s exalted in the glass, among noble spices, fresh red fruit, very open in its coherent balsamic component that makes appreciate the perfect maturation of the grapes grown in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, south-east area of Montalcino, near ancient Sant’Antimo Abbey. Wine shows consistent, intense, concentrated sip, even long and very mineral. Immediately requires the pleasant “penalty” of a new sip: without conditional! Uccelliera is “The integral Brunello”!
Some technical data. Ageing: maturation in Slavonian and French oak barrels for a minimum
of 24 months, in special vintages up to 36 months. Affinage: bottle ageing for a minimum of 6 months before released for sale.
Retail price: € 50 – $ 62. My rating: 93/100
www.uccelliera-montalcino.it
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