The founding estate of Brunello di Montalcino; Ferruccio Biondi Santi bottled the first 1888 vintage. Now owned by EPI Group with the historic Greppo Sangiovese Grosso vines as the core.
Tasting: Cellar tours of the historic Greppo property by appointment; rare vintages tasting on request.
Signature wines: biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino, biondi-santi-brunello-di-montalcino-riserva, biondi-santi-rosso-di-montalcino
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2016), Vinous 97 (2016)
Family estate founded 1971, with the single-vineyard Cerretalto and the Tenuta Nuova selection driving the reputation. Wine Spectator named the 2001 Tenuta Nuova its 2006 Wine of the Year.
Tasting: Cellar visits, vineyard walks and vertical tastings of Tenuta Nuova and Cerretalto by appointment.
Signature wines: casanova-di-neri-cerretalto, casanova-di-neri-tenuta-nuova, casanova-di-neri-brunello-di-montalcino, casanova-di-neri-pietradonice
Scores: Wine Spectator 97 (2001), Wine Advocate 98 (2016)
Single largest Brunello estate at 850 hectares of vineyards inside Montalcino. Mariani family-owned since 1978 and home to the Castello di Poggio alle Mura medieval fortress and Relais hotel.
Tasting: Castello Banfi houses a Relais & Chateaux hotel, restaurants, an enoteca and the Banfi glass-and-wine museum; cellar tours and tasting flights run daily.
Signature wines: banfi-poggio-alle-mura-brunello, banfi-brunello-di-montalcino, banfi-summus, banfi-poggio-all-oro-riserva
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2016), Vinous 94 (2016)
Founded 1970 in the cooler northern Montalcino. The Vigna La Casa single-vineyard Brunello has been bottled since 1977; estate has been organic since 2014.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by reservation; the Vigna La Casa cru is the historical flagship.
Signature wines: caparzo-la-casa-brunello, caparzo-brunello-di-montalcino, caparzo-le-grance
Scores: Wine Advocate 95 (2016), Vinous 93 (2016)
High-elevation estate at 450-500 metres in the southern Montalcino. Certified organic with ICEA, producing structured age-worthy Brunello and the Altero IGT Sangiovese.
Tasting: Estate visits, tastings and on-site restaurant overlooking the southern Montalcino vineyards.
Signature wines: poggio-antico-brunello-di-montalcino, poggio-antico-brunello-riserva, poggio-antico-altero
Scores: Wine Advocate 95 (2016), Vinous 94 (2016)
Franceschi-family estate founded 1890 in Sant'Angelo in Colle, southern Montalcino. Vigna Paganelli Riserva uses the estate's oldest Sangiovese Grosso vines planted in 1964.
Tasting: Estate tours, cellar visits and tasting flights at Sant'Angelo in Colle by appointment.
Signature wines: il-poggione-brunello-di-montalcino, il-poggione-vigna-paganelli-riserva, il-poggione-rosso-di-montalcino
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2016), Vinous 96 (2016)
Castelnuovo dell'Abate estate founded in 1975 and acquired by the Illy family in 2008. The Vigna Loreto and Schiena d'Asino crus are among Montalcino's most idiosyncratic Sangiovese expressions.
Tasting: Estate tours and cellar visits by appointment; the southeast-facing Vigna Loreto cru is the property's calling card.
Signature wines: mastrojanni-vigna-loreto, mastrojanni-brunello-di-montalcino, mastrojanni-schiena-d-asino
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2016), Vinous 95 (2016)
Renaissance villa estate at Sant'Angelo in Colle dating to 1580. Wine Spectator named the 2018 Brunello its Wine of the Year for 2023 (95 points), the first Italian wine to claim that ranking in two decades.
Tasting: Cellar tours, tasting flights and the Casa di Argiano dining experience at the Renaissance villa.
Signature wines: argiano-brunello-di-montalcino, argiano-vigna-del-suolo, argiano-solengo
Scores: Wine Spectator 95 (2018), Wine Advocate 93 (2018)
Cinzano family estate at Sant'Angelo in Colle, 145 hectares of vines under one of Italy's largest organic conversions (certified ICEA 2013). Poggio al Vento Riserva is the historic cru.
Tasting: Estate tours, cellar visits and tastings by reservation; one of the largest organic-certified estates in Italy.
Signature wines: col-dorcia-poggio-al-vento-riserva, col-dorcia-brunello-di-montalcino, col-dorcia-olmaia
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2015), Vinous 95 (2016)
Frescobaldi's Montalcino estate, acquired in 1989. 235 hectares of Sangiovese Grosso in the western reaches of the appellation; Ripe al Convento is the Riserva from oldest vines.
Tasting: Estate tours, Brunello cellar visits and tasting flights by reservation; Luce della Vite is bottled separately on a neighbouring property.
Signature wines: castelgiocondo-brunello-di-montalcino, castelgiocondo-ripe-al-convento-riserva, castelgiocondo-lamaione
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2016), Vinous 94 (2016)