Montalcino is located on the Via Francigena, a road that runs past important Tuscan cities to Rome. In the Middle Ages, following to the destruction of many Roman roads, the Via Francigena became the primary way to reach Rome and the road that was inevitably chosen by emperors, kings, popes and many other persons of note. One example? Charlemagne, who stayed in the taverns of our country, walked on our cobblestone streets and drank our wine. At the time, there was no talk of Brunello, but of Moscadello, a wine that was, from the second half of the 1600´s, to be slowly replaced by a purer and aged Sangiovese: the Brunello.
It was during these years that the world began to learn about Brunello. Some historical texts from the mid 1600s tell of imports to English soil of our fine wine, but only for the royal table.
From then on a growing awareness would, over the course of the centuries, transform the town of Montalcino into one of the most popular towns in southern Tuscany after Siena and Arezzo, and the Brunello di Montalcino would become a symbol of this land of wine.
In 1980, Brunello became the first DOCG in Italy. The ascent of the Brunello towards worldwide success was at its peak. But the Brunello is not the only great wine produced in Montalcino. In 1984, the Rosso di Montalcino, a truly innovative DOC, was born.
Today Montalcino boasts over 250 wineries for a total sale of 15 million bottles of wine a year worldwide. They’re dizzying numbers for an excellent wine.