100-Point Brunello from One of Italy's Best Winemakers

Carlo Ferrini is one of Italy’s most well-regarded winemakers, a recipient of Winemaker of the Year awards from Gambero Rosso, the Italian Sommelier Association, and Wine Enthusiast. He’s been a consultant for wineries from Piedmont to Sicily over his 35-year-long career, but, as a native of Florence, he turned to Tuscany when he wanted to make his own wine. In 2000, he bought a vineyard and old farmhouse in Montalcino and named his winery Giodo, for his parents Giovanna and Donatello. Though he tends to let his wine fly under the radar so as not to compete with his clients, this is a name that Brunello lovers should know. The wines he makes truly exhibit a master’s understanding of the craft and an enthusiast’s love of the medium, and their critical scores reflect that pedigree.

For 20+ years, Ferrini was the technical director of the Chianti Classico Consorzio, where he spearheaded a 16-year research project to replant the Classico region with higher-quality clonal material. He now farms his own 7 hectares of vineyards among oak forests in a teeny hamlet between Sant’Angelo in Colle and Sant’Antimo, and they encapsulate the exacting standards he developed over the years of research: it’s a superb site with south-southeast exposure at 1000 feet above sea level in gravel-rich soil. And, of course, he’s populated it with his favorite clones, which all share similar traits of low yield, low vigor, loosely packed bunches, and small berries. Even as a consultant, he’s adamant about getting the vineyard part of the equation right before even considering what happens in the cellar.. 

His Brunello is grown on this original cluster of vines, while grapes from younger vines go into his excellent Rosso. The Rosso is a killer value, well loved by Giodo fans, because you’re getting that same top-shelf fruit, terroir, and winemaking in every bottle with less age and more youthful chutzpah. 

But Brunello is the star. His first vintage was 2009, and he skipped 2014 because the conditions were not up to par. So, though his 2015 is only a handful of vintages in, it has earned a 100-point score from James Suckling and 97 from Parker. 2015 was certainly kind to Montalcino vintners, as we’ve mentioned here and here. Ferrini took the perfect combination of weather conditions and ran with it. Temperatures were above average but the deep temperature swings between night and day and ample breezes kept that fruit fresh. He says, “The grapes at harvest immediately exhibited complex aromatics and elegant tannins, and the acids were outstanding, atypical for a season with high temperatures during veraison and ripening.” 

Elegance is the key word for Carlo. For him It is the most important thing. He says, “Wines must have a very good acidity, great structure, and a long-lasting finish.” And his wines achieve this in spades. If you are looking for the same, Giodo should be on your radar. As good as it is now, the sky is really the limit with this winery.

- Kate Soto