About this wine
The estate's normale Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, 100% Sangiovese grown on the northern slopes of Montalcino and vinified entirely by the all-female Casato Prime Donne team. Since the 1993 vintage, the finest barrels for this wine have been selected each year by an international, all-female tasting panel of Masters of Wine and sommeliers assembled by Donatella Cinelli Colombini — a project she started after noticing that Italy's wine critics were almost exclusively men. It is aged around two years in medium-to-large oak (tonneaux and botti) before further bottle ageing, per Brunello DOCG rules, and is often labelled or referred to in trade listings as 'Progetto Prime Donne' or 'Selezione Prime Donne' in reference to that selection panel.
A benchmark, traditionally styled Brunello — a good reference point for what the appellation tastes like before exploring the estate's Riserva.
Sommelier's Note
"This is Brunello made on Donatella's own terms — the fact that an all-female panel has quality-checked every barrel since 1993 is not a marketing footnote, it is the wine's backbone."
Food Pairings
Classic Brunello pairings: bistecca alla fiorentina and other grilled red meats, game, porcini mushroom dishes, and aged pecorino. Its structured tannins also stand up well to soy-glazed grilled Wagyu and simmered duck.
When to drink it
Formal dinners, celebrations, and gifting to serious wine drinkers.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Sangiovese
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Price Range
- ¥12,000-15,500
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Sangiovese hand-harvested from organically farmed estate vineyards on the northern slope of Montalcino (approx. 225m ASL, Pliocene and clay soils). Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel; the best barrels are selected each vintage by an all-female international tasting panel, then aged approximately 2 years in medium-to-large oak (tonneaux and botti) before bottle ageing prior to release.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes this Brunello different from other producers' Brunello di Montalcino?
- Since 1993, an all-female international panel of Masters of Wine and sommeliers has selected the finest barrels for this wine each vintage — a project founded by Donatella Cinelli Colombini to highlight women's palates in an industry then dominated by male critics.
- What does it taste like?
- Ripe red and dark cherry, dried herbs, spice, and a savory, balsamic edge, with firm but polished tannins and a long finish typical of traditional Montalcino Brunello.
- How long should it be aged or decanted before drinking?
- It benefits from cellaring 5-15 years from the vintage, and an hour or more of decanting if opened young.
Want to know more about this wine?
Ask Vinami's sommelier — no intimidation, just answers.
Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
ブルネッロ・ディ・モンタルチーノ イオ・ソーノ・ドナテッラ
Brunello di Montalcino IOsonoDonatella
RedSangiovese
IOsonoDonatella ('I am Donatella') is Casato Prime Donne's ultra-limited icon wine, made only in exceptional vintages (such as 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2019) in a production of roughly 600 bottles or fewer. The grapes come from the small Ardita vineyard on Montalcino's northern slope — the same parcel that anchors the estate's Riserva. The wine is presented in a distinctive bottle covered in stars that, catching the light, form a ring around a gold coat of arms, a nod to Donatella Cinelli Colombini's early studies in medieval jewellery and seal design. It represents both her personal winemaking philosophy and her history at the helm of Italy's first all-female-run winery.
ブルネッロ・ディ・モンタルチーノ・リゼルヴァ
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
RedSangiovese
Casato Prime Donne's top traditional-style Riserva, produced only in the best vintages from hand-selected, absolutely perfect Sangiovese grapes — generally sourced from the estate's Ardita vineyard on Montalcino's northern slope. Following grape tastings and chemical analysis, only one or two of the estate's 17 hectares of Sangiovese are chosen each qualifying year to make this wine. It ages at least two years in 5-7 hectolitre French oak casks before being moved to larger 15-40 hectolitre barrels and then bottle, for a total aging period well beyond the DOCG Riserva minimum, resulting in a wine built for very long cellaring.
ロッソ・ディ・モンタルチーノ
Rosso di Montalcino
RedSangiovese
Casato Prime Donne's entry-level Montalcino red, 100% Sangiovese sourced from the estate's organically farmed vineyards. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and aged roughly 10-12 months in medium-sized oak (tonneaux and botti), it is designed to be approachable within a few years of the vintage while still carrying the estate's structured, savory house style. It is the wine through which the all-female Casato Prime Donne team introduces drinkers to the character of Montalcino before the longer-aged Brunello wines.