Fonterenza Rosso di Montalcino Alberello 2021

Fonterenza is run by twin sisters Margherita and Francesca Padovani, who farm their four hectares near Montalcino biodynamically and make both traditional ageing wines and fresher, fruit-driven natural ones. Rosso di Montalcino Alberello is a single-variety Sangiovese, classified as IGT Toscana, grown on marl soils with quartz. The warm, dry southern Tuscan climate ripens Sangiovese well, while the marls and the cooler nights keep acidity and aromatic freshness. The wine spends eleven months in foudres and a further thirteen months in stainless steel, an ageing regime that lets the wine settle and round out while keeping the fruit fresh, since the large old wood gives gentle oxygen exchange and little oak flavour and the steel preserves brightness. This is a lighter, more approachable counterpart to the estate's Brunello. The colour is bright ruby. The nose offers red cherry, plum and dried Mediterranean herbs. The palate is medium bodied, the tannins fine and the acidity lively, with a savoury, earthy finish. Serve at around 16 degrees. It suits grilled red meat, Tuscan stews, tomato based pasta and mushroom dishes.