Summary
Casanova di Neri is one of the best-known Brunello producers of our time. In 1971 Giovanni Neri, a grain merchant from Montevarchi, founded the estate in Montalcino; since 1991 it has been run by his son Giacomo Neri – now together with the third generation. From around 63 hectares of vines spread across several zones of the appellation, the family makes above all Brunello di Montalcino from pure Sangiovese. The estate made headlines worldwide in 2006, when the 2001 'Tenuta Nuova' was named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator – the first Brunello ever to win the title.
History
Giovanni Neri, a grain and seed merchant from Montevarchi, was fascinated by the character Sangiovese develops in Montalcino. In 1971 he bought the roughly 200-hectare Podere Casanova, whose soils, altitude and microclimate seemed ideal for a great red wine. The first bottling followed in 1977 and the first Brunello di Montalcino in 1978 – the 'white label' that is still made today.
Neri soon began looking for special plots: in 1981 he added the Cerretalto vineyard, whose first vintage, 1981, was released in 1987. In 1986 his son Giacomo joined the business full-time and took over after his father's death in 1991. Under Giacomo the estate grew considerably: in 1993 he acquired Tenuta Nuova in the south of Montalcino, and in 1994 the Pietradonice vineyard, planted with Cabernet Sauvignon. Between 2003 and 2005 a new, sustainably designed cellar was built.
The international breakthrough came in 2006: Wine Spectator placed the 2001 Tenuta Nuova at number one of its Top 100 – only the third time an Italian wine had taken the top spot. In 2015 the Collalli vineyard was added, and with Giovanni, Gianlorenzo and Marianna Neri the third generation is now active in the business.
Location & terroir
The winery lies in the north-east of Montalcino on the road to Torrenieri, looking across to the town. Unlike many producers, Casanova di Neri deliberately works with vineyards in different zones of the appellation – from Fiesole at the home estate and Cerretalto in the far east to the sites in the south around Sant'Angelo and Castelnuovo dell'Abate. As a result, very different soils and microclimates flow into the wines.
The Fiesole vineyard sits at about 350 to 380 metres with a south-east exposure on galestro, Tuscany's typical flaky, marly soil. Cerretalto is a small natural amphitheatre of about four hectares on a bend of the Asso river: its soils are almost red from iron and mix galestro with river stones and weathered rock. Higher vineyards such as Podernuovo reach roughly 420 to 490 metres. Since the 2018 vintage the estate has been converting to organic farming.
Style & philosophy
Giacomo Neri is regarded as one of the producers who gave Brunello a modern interpretation in the 1990s and 2000s: the wines combine power and concentration with velvety, ripe tannins and great elegance. At the heart of it all is site-specific work – each vineyard, and sometimes individual blocks, is picked and vinified separately to bring out the signature of each plot.
The Brunellos are built for long ageing, yet already show inviting fruit when young. The family is strict about vintages: in difficult years individual top wines may not be made at all if the quality does not meet their standards.
Notable vineyards & wines
The range is clearly organised by origin:
- Brunello di Montalcino 'Tenuta Nuova' – from the estate in the south acquired in 1993; dense, velvety and deeply coloured, the house's flagship
- Brunello di Montalcino 'Cerretalto' – single vineyard in the far east by the Asso river, the rarest and most age-worthy wine
- Brunello di Montalcino 'Giovanni Neri' – a tribute to the founder, from a vineyard on the road to Castelnuovo dell'Abate
- Brunello di Montalcino ('white label') – the house's classic Brunello since 1978
- Rosso di Montalcino – the more approachable, earlier-drinking Sangiovese
- 'Pietradonice' – Tuscan red from Cabernet Sauvignon
Awards
The greatest success was the selection of the 2001 Brunello Tenuta Nuova as Wine of the Year 2006 by Wine Spectator – the first Brunello to top that ranking. A year later the 2001 Cerretalto received 100 points from the same magazine. Further vintages have regularly placed high in the Top 100, and the more recent wines also earn top marks from critics such as James Suckling, including 100 points for the Brunello 'Giovanni Neri'. This makes Casanova di Neri one of the most consistently highly rated producers in Montalcino.
