Podere Sanlorenzo Brunello di Montalcino "Bramante"
The four principle vineyards of Podere Sanlorenzo lie to the southwest of Montalcino at 500 meters above sea level. The land was purchased five generations ago by Lorenzo and his family of farmsteaders that gradually cleared the land. The second generation was led by Renzo who began to clear the wild woodlands for cattle pastures and then established a small vineyard of less than a hectare. One starry night, Renzo bestowed the family property to his son Bramante who would go on to expand the vineyard and sell off the fruit. Bramante continued to work the land until he passed it on to his son-in-law and grandson, Paolo and Luciano Ciolfi. Luciano would be the first to commercially bottle wines under the name that paid tribute to the original founder, Lorenzo.
The four vineyards cover 4.7 hectares on very rocky, Galestro soils that are usually dry at the surface and poor in nutrients. “Where there are rocks, good wine,” says Ciolfi but the climate has its own influence on the vines. The older vines are spaced at 3,000 vines per ha. and the newer ones are more densely planted at 4,500 vines per ha. The high altitude, with Mt. Amiata behind the vineyard, opens the steeply inclined surface exposed to winds and sun. In fact, the cooling Mediterranean influence is matched by a view of Corsica and Elba on a clear day. Rains are restricted to the spring and late autumn, punctuated by rainy days that boost acidity levels in the elegantly-styled finished wines. Ciolfi drops some fruit in August and in mid-September he performs an aggressive defoliation around the remaining clusters to expose them to the sun and wind. Harvest typically occupies a day in October for the friends and family that come together to harvest.
