Lisini, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2011

The proximity here to Maremma gives maritime breezes warding against summer heat, which is especially important in as hot and dry a year as 2017. Thick woodland, olive groves and wild scrubs surround the 25 hectares under vine – a rural haven of the region’s finest terroir. An ancient river system sculpted the area, and with it the complex soils in Lisini’s vineyards. Fossil laced sand, clay and iron-rich soils, paired with altitudes of 300-400 metres, all play a leading role in the unique personality of Lisini’s wines.

There are few other estates in Montalcino with roots as deep as Lisini. The Lisini-Clementi family has owned lands in Montalcino since the sixteenth century, and the historic tower and loggia on the property has its beginnings in the 1300s. The first vines were planted here in the 1930s, well before the international craze for the areas wines. And Lisini was not just one of the founding members of the consorzio di Brunello in the 1967: The late Elina Lisini, the head of the family until her passing in 2009 was its first and only female president in 1970! Today, the estate totals roughly 150 hectares that surround the ancient farmhouse and winery, and brothers Carlo and Lorenzo, along with cousin Ludovica, continue the traditions of their forebearers. This includes not just the production of wine which is based entirely on the noble sangiovese grape but also of olive oil. Their location, in the hills surrounding Sant Angelo in Colle, in the Southwest corner of Montalcino, are particularly favorable to the cultivation of both sangiovese and olives. Their 20 or so hectares of vineyards are at an average elevation of 350 meters above sea level, and open to the south, towards the Maremma area of Tuscany, making them drier and more ventilated than other locations more landlocked than Lisini. With the history of the Lisini family running so deep in Montalcino, the current regime saw no other way to produce their wines other than with respect for tradition. This means that only sangiovese is grown, fermentations take place in glass lined cement tanks, and all wines age in large Slavonian oak casks. The winemaking at the estate was guided starting in the 1980s for many years by Franco Bernabei (of Felsina and Fontodi fame) who then trained the current staff enologist Filippo Paoletti. The late Giulio Gambelli (the original sangiovesista, responsible for many years at Biondi Santi and Soldera, and the creator of Le Pergole Torte), also collaborated with the Lisinis for a while, and current winemaker Filippo counts both of these as important inspirations and influences on his work.

We deliver throughout the United Kingdom with no minimum order requirement. For Mainland UK deliveries, the following charges apply:

• £15 for orders below £75
• £9.99 for orders below £125
• Free delivery on orders over £125

We also offer the option to collect from any of our shops at no extra cost. All Mainland UK orders should be delivered within 1-3 working days. Deliveries to Northern Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, and the British Isles may take 3-5 working days. For more information on UK delivery click here and for EU deliveries please click here.