Castello Romitorio: the pursuit of artistic perfection

Pre-shipment offer of their 2012 Brunellos

For the first time, we are offering the Brunello of Castello Romitorio. A classic Tuscan hilltop estate, with a breathtaking view over the Val d'Orcia, it's the sort of place that makes Tuscany so seductive. As for the wines, artist-owner Sandro Chia gives his winemaking as much artistic gravity as his sculptures and the paintings which grace the labels of his bottles; in his own words, his wines reflect his dedication to artistic perfection.

In 1984, Sandro acquired Castello Romitorio, which had been sitting derelict and abandoned since the 50s. He immediately set about restoring first the castle itself, then the overgrown lands and vineyards. One of his earliest tasks was to lay out new Sangiovese vineyards, and the first vintage was 1986. Restoration was a labour of love that took much of the next 20 years, and as success followed, improvements continued; in 2007 the winery completed a new state-of-the-art underground cellar. The winemaking is rooted in a respect for tradition. The style is soft, spiced and expressive, not heavily extracted, and matured by time in a mix of French and Slavonian oak. /NT

Offered subject to remaining unsold; available June 2017