Famous for being the DOCG with the longest aging requirement and for its prodigiously age-worthy Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is a gem among Italy's fine wine regions. The Tornesi family has owned their estate, known as Le Benducce, since 1750, long before Brunello di Montalcino became known as a wine before Italy became a unified nation. Today Le Benducce is run by Maurizio, his wife, and his daughters and is comprised of both vines and olives. It sits at 500m elevation, close to the famed vineyards of Biondi-Santi. The steep vineyards benefit not only from higher elevation but also excellent orientation, providing a fantastic acidic core and intense aromatics to complement the natural structure and ripeness of the fruit. Organic farming methods are employed, vineyards are worked by hand, yield-reduction is a primary tenet as well as high-density planting. Winemaking is traditional, only large used barrels are used for the Brunello, native yeast, minimal intervention, and absolutely no corrections. A typical, minimal hint of Brett gives it that rusticity traditional Brunello and Rosso Di Montalcino are famous for as well as aromas of forest, wild berry, dried cherry, sage, anise, and coffee bean on the palate.