I stepped out of the car and was hit by an intense blast of heat when arriving at Stella di Campalto. Tuscany was in the middle of a very extended heatwave, and the north side of Montalcino had been substantially cooler. How was this the home of the famously dubbed Burgundian estate in all of Montalcino? However, Stella di Campalto wines defy any preconceived notions you may have about Montalcino Sangiovese Grosso.

There are many keys to the surprisingly fine and lifted personality of Stella’s wines. Many parcels contain high sand and white quartz concentrations, and strong breezes come down from Mount Amiata, a former volcano. A nearby river also plays a role, helping temperatures dip low at night and preserving much-needed acidity. We tasted parcel by parcel (a rare opportunity) and could see how these elements worked together to create this tiny estate's grand image; some were high-toned with white pepper spice, and others darker and more savory.

Young Stella grew up in Milan, fell in love with Italian wine, and inherited her property on the southern side of Montalcino in 1992. (Podere San Giuseppe dates back to 1910 when Giuseppe Martelli had a sharecropping estate and abandoned it in 1940). After exploring the rundown farmhouse and finding the quiet setting comfortable, Stella planted vines. She was adamant about growing 100% Sangiovese and farming the land with certified organic and biodynamic principles.

The estate comprises six hectares of vines, with each parcel fermented on its own before blending. Fermentations are in old, open-top wood casks, with four pump-overs per day, an element of the soft tannins. The wines age in botti with a tiny addition of old barrique. It is rare to come across a Brunello that shows well each time it's poured—no matter the vintage, whether it's decanted, or popped open and served.

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