Stella di Campalto
Brunello di Montalcino Corso
The San Giuseppe Winery takes its name from the sharecropping estate established by Giuseppe Martelli in 1910. Abandoned in 1940, the estate was acquired by the Stella Viola di Campalto in 1992. Stella is deeply devoted to the rhythms, culture, and beauty of Montalcino.
The 13-hectare San Giuseppe estate includes 6.7 hectares of vineyards. A great deal of time and resources are devoted to maintaining the natural ecosystem in and around the vineyards, resulting in wines that are pure, unrepeatable expressions of their terroir and year of origin. Each plot is a small cru with its own distinct character and each wine is vinified separately in wooden vats. The estate has been certified organic since 1996 and employed biodynamic methods since 2002.
Tasting Notes
A dynamic, kind and joyous vintage
Cultivation
2016 marked a new chapter in Stella di Campalto's winemaking philosophy, introducing the practice of creating different "masse" to highlight the nuances between vineyards. While they work exclusively with 100% Sangiovese, the term "blend" feels inadequate, as they assemble various combinations of their vineyards to honor the diverse expressions of the vintage. In their relationship of active surrender to nature, each "masse" steers towards the attributes of each vineyard, allowing the vintage to find its unique voice. This year, Stella released Brunello Bosco 2018 and Brunello Corso 2019. Bosco is the result of a carefully crafted blend of 4 vineyards: Bosco, San Giuseppe, Ulivo, and Curva. Brunello Corso is born from grapes grown on San Giuseppe, Bassa, and Leccio vineyards. All these vineyards face south and South-West, with altitudes ranging from 210 to 290 meters. The different types of soils are amongst the most influential aspects of Stella’s wines. The Bosco and Curva vineyards are rich in clay, leading to good nutrient retention that can contribute to strong tannins, good color extraction, structured body, and the potential for complex aromas. San Giuseppe and Ulivo soils have an alkaline pH, yielding wines that display crisp acidity. Bassa and Leccio are characterized by sandy loam soils with a good balance of sand, silt, and clay, providing good fertility, drainage, and aeration. The result wines showcase vibrant fruit flavors, moderate acidity, and a lighter body. The sandy component can also contribute to a more approachable texture in the wine.
Vinification
Each vineyard is harvested individually and vinified separately. Grapes are sorted by hand and flow by gravity from the top of a three-level cellar. Fermentation takes places in small wooden vats from 20HL to 40HL with indigenous yeast without pied de cuve.
Aging
Aged for 33 months in 15 and 17HL barrels, then 18 months in bottle
APPELLATION
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
VARIETAL
Sangiovese (100%)
ABV
15%
PHILOSOPHY
Organic, Biodynamic
ANNUAL PRODUCTION
5,535 bottles of 750ml