Brunello di Montalcino DOCG · Italy
2019 Casanova di Neri Cerretalto
Casanova di Neri's Cerretalto 2019 — graphite, iron, sugared violets, and 15% alcohol over velvety Sangiovese texture. A titan of Montalcino still years from its prime.
- Varietal
- Sangiovese
- ABV
- 15.0
- Vintage
- 2019
Drinking Window
In 2026: Too YoungHolding. Drinking window opens in 2028.
Right now: In 2026, the Casanova di Neri Cerretalto Brunello di Montalcino 2019 is firmly sealed in its youth, with the drinking window not opening until 2028 and peak expression not expected until 2034 at the earliest — running through 2050. This is one of the most structured and ambitious Brunellos made in the 2019 vintage, with 15 percent alcohol, graphite-dense tannins, and formidable acidity noted by every critic at release. Eight years from vintage, those components are still dominant. The wine is not undrinkable — three or more hours of decanting will reveal its extraordinary aromatic complexity — but the Cerretalto's full potential is a decade-plus away. Hold.
Tasting Note
Intense and young with graphite, young red fruit, dark chocolate, tobacco, and black cherry on the nose, overlaid with blackberry, black pepper, iron, wild herbs, cigar box, and sugared violets. The nose alone is one of the most complex in the entire Montalcino appellation from this vintage. On the palate, a velvety texture carries the 15 percent alcohol without heaviness — vibrant acidity and refined tannins keep the wine taut and propulsive. The finish is deep and sustained, with iron-mineral notes surfacing alongside the concentrated dark fruit. This is a wine of formidable ambition and extraordinary raw material.
About Casanova di Neri
Casanova di Neri is one of the great modern Brunello estates, farming parcels across multiple zones of Montalcino with the Cerretalto single-vineyard selection representing the apex of the portfolio. Winemaker Giacomo Neri practices traditional Brunello vinification — 36 months of aging in large Slavonian oak casks followed by 24 months of bottle aging before release — with the conviction that Sangiovese Grosso's full expression requires extended time in wood and glass before release. The Cerretalto vineyard's position in the Sant'Angelo in Colle zone and its old-vine composition produce wines of extraordinary depth and longevity, routinely cited among Montalcino's finest single-vineyard expressions.
Food Pairings
Bistecca alla Fiorentina with sea salt and olive oil
The enormous structural weight of this Cerretalto — 15% alcohol, formidable tannins, deep acidity — demands an equally substantial preparation; the Florentine cut's high fat content and mineral-salted char provide the anchoring richness without hiding the wine's complexity.
Wild boar with porcini and Brunello braising sauce
Wild boar's gamey density and the forest earthiness of porcini mirror the wine's graphite, iron, and wild herb aromatics, while the Brunello reduction creates a harmonic echo of the wine's own concentrated dark fruit.
Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano (36-month) with truffle honey
The crystalline, intensely savory quality of 36-month Parmigiano provides the protein structure and umami depth to stand alongside Cerretalto's formidable tannin architecture, while truffle honey bridges the wine's iron and dark-fruit notes.
Service & Cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 65-68F (18-20C)
- Decanting
- In 2026, decant a minimum of 3 hours, ideally 4, if opening for study. The wine is not at its best yet and the tannins are formidable, but extended air exposure reveals the extraordinary aromatic complexity on the nose. From 2028, when the window opens, plan 2 hours. At peak maturity from 2034 onward, 60 to 90 minutes is appropriate.
- Cellar Storage
- 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.
Frequently Asked
When is the right time to open the 2019 Casanova di Neri Cerretalto?
The drinking window opens in 2028, with peak expression projected from 2034 through 2050. In 2026, the wine's formidable tannins and 15 percent alcohol are still dominant structural forces that have not yet fully integrated. If you must open it now, plan at minimum 3 to 4 hours of decanting. The ideal approach is to hold through 2030 at minimum.
How does Cerretalto compare to the Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova?
Cerretalto is the single-vineyard flagship, sourced from a specific parcel in the Sant'Angelo in Colle zone with old vines and maximum concentration. Tenuta Nuova is the estate's primary Brunello bottling and is significantly more accessible in youth. Cerretalto is built for two-to-three decade cellaring and is among the most structured and age-worthy wines in the entire Brunello appellation.
Is the 2019 vintage good for Brunello?
Exceptional. Consistent weather, warm days, cool nights, and well-timed rain produced wines of great purity that combine elegance and power. Top wines from this vintage are compared to the finest 2016 expressions and are expected to age for 30 to 40 years.
How long should I decant this Brunello?
In 2026, plan 3 to 4 hours in a wide decanter. This is a wine with formidable tannin structure — 36 months of large-cask aging and 15 percent alcohol require extended air exposure to begin the softening process. At peak maturity from 2034 onward, 60 to 90 minutes will be more appropriate.
What are the key characteristics of Cerretalto as a single vineyard?
The Cerretalto parcel is in the Sant'Angelo in Colle zone of southern Montalcino, known for its alberese clay-limestone soils that produce wines of exceptional concentration and iron-mineral depth. The parcel's old-vine composition and specific microclimate produce a Brunello that routinely achieves a level of tannin structure, aromatic complexity, and longevity that distinguishes it from the estate's other bottlings.
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