2022 Martoccia di Luca Poggio Apricale IGT, Tuscany, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

Made by emerging sensation Luca Brunelli, this graceful, high-altitude, neo-classical Brunello satisfies even the toughest of critics. A one-man show, Luca takes the ‘bonsai’ approach to his vines, growing them low to the ground in order to concentrate the fruit. With only 4 clusters permitted per vine, the yields are well under one bottle per plant, resulting in a deeply integrated experience.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

With one of the highest cellars in Montalcino, not only is the view from Luca Brunelli’s hillside estate breathtaking, but you could catapult a stone from the town’s famous fortress (one of the last to fall in Siena’s wars against Firenze) and be assured a hit. In a bit of sweet irony, along with the altitude come some of the lowest yields in the entire Brunello DOCG. Taking the bonsai approach to his craft, Luca is a master when it comes to sculpting small plants with excruciatingly low yields. His Sangiovese Grosso vines only grow 20 inches high, for example, with the lowest grapes often a mere 6 inches off the ground! Permitting only 4 clusters per plant for his Brunello, it is physically impossible for him to get even 1 bottle from each vine. Just to put things in perspective, this means his Brunello has lower yields than some of the most expensive Right Bank Bordeaux.