Tuscan Gem
Altesino is a precious boutique winery in Central Tuscany, nestled in the eastern hills of Montalcino. I was introduced to the winery through a friend of mine in the industry. The first time I visited the winery was on a trip with my parents and my wife. I think we might have made a few wrong turns on the way; I seem to recall driving around in circles trying to find the winery. Upon our arrival I distinctly remember how beautiful the panoramic view of the vineyards was. We all got out of our car and walked right over to the wall overlooking the vineyards and started taking pictures.
While we were taking pictures, Guido Orzalesi (the General Manager of the winery), came out of his office and greeted us. Guido has since become a good friend of mine. We had the pleasure of staying overnight at the vineyard, and Guido went out of his way to make us feel welcome. The rooms in the 14th century villa were all renovated and spacious. When you walked through the front door, all you could smell was wine. Guido pointed out that the wine cellar was still located below the original villa. We settled in and decided to go into Montalcino for lunch, what a treat. Montalcino was this medieval town with great restaurants and shopping. You almost felt like you had stepped back in time. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at a small bustling local restaurant; I think we all ate too much. This isn’t difficult to do in Italy.
We made our way back to the winery; Guido had some work to finish up before he was able to take us on a tour of the winery. After the tour we had the pleasure of a wonderful dinner prepared for us by the staff of the winery. The room we ate in had such a wonderful ambiance, before we knew it the night had flown by and again, we had ate and drank probably more than we should have. We tasted Altesino’s entire portfolio of wines, I had a difficult time trying to decide my favorite.
Mrs. Elizabetta Gnudi Angelini purchased Altesino in 2002, winemaker Claudio Basla remained with the winery after the purchase. Keeping the reputation of Altesino in tact. Over the years, Altesino has received lots of accolades for their wines, being the first to introduce the concept of a “cru” wine made with a special selection of grapes from a single vineyard. To say that Altesino is one of the top producers of Brunello is a tribute to the commitment to excellence made by the entire staff.
I think one of my favorite wines to drink by the glass is the Altesino Rosso di Montalcino. It is a very approachable glass of wine and reasonably priced. With the current price of Brunello, the Rosso is a bargain. Unlike Brunello, you don’t need a special occasion to drink the Rosso di Montalcino. It’s made up of about 80% Sangiovese and the rest Merlot and Cabernet. This wine is aged entirely in stainless steel; there is no contact with wood at all, producing a wine that is vibrant in color with just the right amount of structure. A perfect pairing for pasta dishes.
While we were taking pictures, Guido Orzalesi (the General Manager of the winery), came out of his office and greeted us. Guido has since become a good friend of mine. We had the pleasure of staying overnight at the vineyard, and Guido went out of his way to make us feel welcome. The rooms in the 14th century villa were all renovated and spacious. When you walked through the front door, all you could smell was wine. Guido pointed out that the wine cellar was still located below the original villa. We settled in and decided to go into Montalcino for lunch, what a treat. Montalcino was this medieval town with great restaurants and shopping. You almost felt like you had stepped back in time. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at a small bustling local restaurant; I think we all ate too much. This isn’t difficult to do in Italy.
We made our way back to the winery; Guido had some work to finish up before he was able to take us on a tour of the winery. After the tour we had the pleasure of a wonderful dinner prepared for us by the staff of the winery. The room we ate in had such a wonderful ambiance, before we knew it the night had flown by and again, we had ate and drank probably more than we should have. We tasted Altesino’s entire portfolio of wines, I had a difficult time trying to decide my favorite.
Mrs. Elizabetta Gnudi Angelini purchased Altesino in 2002, winemaker Claudio Basla remained with the winery after the purchase. Keeping the reputation of Altesino in tact. Over the years, Altesino has received lots of accolades for their wines, being the first to introduce the concept of a “cru” wine made with a special selection of grapes from a single vineyard. To say that Altesino is one of the top producers of Brunello is a tribute to the commitment to excellence made by the entire staff.
I think one of my favorite wines to drink by the glass is the Altesino Rosso di Montalcino. It is a very approachable glass of wine and reasonably priced. With the current price of Brunello, the Rosso is a bargain. Unlike Brunello, you don’t need a special occasion to drink the Rosso di Montalcino. It’s made up of about 80% Sangiovese and the rest Merlot and Cabernet. This wine is aged entirely in stainless steel; there is no contact with wood at all, producing a wine that is vibrant in color with just the right amount of structure. A perfect pairing for pasta dishes.
One Comment to “Tuscan Gem”
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Mighty useful. Make no mistake, I appreciate it.