2017 Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino V.V

High up in Montalcino is La Ragnaie, owned by winemaker Riccardo Campinoti and wife Jennifer. The name is derived from the Italian word for spider's web (Ragnatela), because the traditional bird-catching nets that can be seen on the labels of his wines are visually reminiscent of a spider's web and were stretched from this highest point for bird hunting.The success story of Le Ragnaie has also been shaped by the early conversion to organic viticulture and by the fact that Riccardo has consciously decided against a marmalade-laden and sometimes somewhat overloaded modern wine style. Instead, his long-lived red wines convince with a fruity-spicy bouquet and an unmistakable freshness, for which he even lets the Sangiovese grapes rest on the skins for up to 90 days to absorb the colour pigments, the tannins and the aromatic components of the grape variety.The first Brunello of the estate's three Black Label vineyard editions comes from 60-year-old vines that grow at an altitude of over 600 metres. Many years ago, Le Ragnaie decided against bottling a Riserva with this vineyard-by-vineyard vinification; instead, it consistently relies on the terroir diversity of its vineyards. Of all three vineyards, Vecchie Vigne is the most classic wine with a pronounced concentration and personality.