Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino 2015

Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino 2015 is a 100% Sangiovese DOCG red wine from Tuscany's Montalcino zone, bottled at 14.5% ABV in a 750ml format. This vintage earned 97 points from James Suckling, 94+ from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 93 from Wine Spectator — critical consensus that places it among the finest expressions of the celebrated 2015 vintage in Montalcino.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.5%  |  Origin: Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy  |  DOCG  |  Producer: Mastrojanni

Production & Heritage

Mastrojanni's vineyards sit in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the southeastern corner of the Montalcino municipality in the Province of Siena — a sub-zone prized for its warmer microclimate and mineral-rich soils. Fruit for this Brunello comes from 14.4 hectares of south-facing vineyards planted in clay soils laced with broken rock shards, a terroir that drives the wine's distinctive saline backbone. Fermentation takes place in concrete vats before the wine rests for 36 months in large French Allier oak barrels ranging from 16 to 54 hectoliters — a traditional approach that allows Sangiovese's character to develop without heavy oak influence.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe dark cherry and red berry lead the nose, layered with baking spice, tobacco leaf, and a faint trace of rum cake. The bouquet deepens in the glass, revealing earthy undertones and a meaty, almost savory intensity.

Taste: The palate entry is round and supple, with concentrated plum and cherry fruit giving way to mid-palate notes of loam, iron, and baking spice. The mouthfeel is robust and velvety, with succulent fruit balanced by a persistent saline mineral thread that keeps everything taut and focused. At its peak, the wine reveals an elegant complexity where ripe fruit and earthy savory tones merge seamlessly.

Finish: Long, firm, and layered, with mineral, earth, and ripe fruit notes lingering well after the final sip. A saline edge and fine-grained tannin structure carry the finish with impressive persistence.

How to Drink Mastrojanni 2015

Decant this Brunello for at least 45 minutes to an hour before serving at 62–65°F (17–18°C); the wine's tightly wound structure unfurls considerably with air. A large-bowled Burgundy or Brunello glass channels the complex aromatics effectively. Given its concentration and firm tannic architecture, this is a wine built for the table — it pairs magnificently with red meat, slow-braised dishes, and aged cheeses, where the saline minerality and fruit intensity find their full counterbalance.

Best For

• Cellaring for a milestone anniversary or special-occasion dinner in the years ahead
• Gifting an Italian wine enthusiast who appreciates traditional Brunello
• Pairing with a bistecca alla fiorentina or other grilled red meats
• Adding a critically acclaimed 2015 Brunello to a Tuscan wine collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Mastrojanni 2015 taste like? This Brunello delivers concentrated dark cherry and plum fruit alongside baking spice, tobacco, and loam, all threaded with a distinctive saline minerality. The mouthfeel is robust and velvety, with firm tannins and a long, earthy finish.

How does Mastrojanni 2015 compare to Biondi-Santi Brunello? Biondi-Santi is historically credited with creating the first modern Brunello di Montalcino, and Mastrojanni followed that estate's lead in cultivating Sangiovese Grosso in the Montalcino zone. Where Biondi-Santi tends toward austere, classically structured Brunello, Mastrojanni's warmer Castelnuovo dell'Abate vineyard site produces a richer, more immediately generous style with pronounced fruit concentration.

Is Mastrojanni 2015 good for aging? Yes — the wine's firm tannin structure, mineral backbone, and concentrated fruit suggest a drinking window that extends well into the late 2020s and beyond. The 2015 vintage in Montalcino is widely regarded as exceptional, giving wines like this the foundation for long cellar development.

Where is Mastrojanni 2015 made? Mastrojanni is located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, a hamlet in the southeastern corner of the Montalcino municipality within the Province of Siena, Tuscany, Italy. This sub-zone of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is known for its warm exposures and mineral-laden clay soils.

What foods pair well with Mastrojanni 2015? Bistecca alla fiorentina is a classic match, where the charred crust and rare center mirror the wine's interplay of fruit richness and earthy depth. Wild boar ragù with pappardelle complements the savory, meaty undertones. Aged Pecorino Toscano echoes the saline minerality. Porcini mushroom risotto draws out the wine's loamy, earthy side. Braised lamb shanks with rosemary align with the robust tannin structure and spice notes.

What sizes does Mastrojanni 2015 come in? The standard format is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available size for this Brunello di Montalcino.

Is Mastrojanni 2015 worth the price? Mastrojanni positions as a premium Brunello producer, and the 2015 vintage — scoring 97 points from James Suckling and 94+ from Wine Advocate — represents strong critical validation at its price tier. For collectors and serious Brunello enthusiasts, it delivers the concentration, complexity, and aging potential expected of top-flight Montalcino wines.

Why Mastrojanni 2015?

The 97-point James Suckling score is not an outlier — it reflects broad critical agreement that this wine delivers at the highest level, with Wine Advocate at 94+ and Wine Spectator at 93. What sets Mastrojanni apart within Montalcino is its Castelnuovo dell'Abate terroir: south-facing slopes of clay and fractured rock that produce a Brunello with uncommon fruit density balanced by a pronounced saline mineral signature. The traditional production — concrete fermentation and 36 months in large French Allier oak — allows Sangiovese Grosso to speak clearly without modern oak veneer. In a vintage already celebrated as one of Montalcino's finest, this bottling stands as a compelling expression of place, grape, and careful winemaking.