Why the Best Brunellos Have Color

I have been hearing for years from a number of people that a red made from Sangiovese shouldn’t have color. They believe that it’s impossible for a pure Sangivoese such as a Brunello di Montalcino to be violet or ruby color. I, of course, disagree.

I thought it would be interesting to have one of Brunello di Montalcino’s top vineyard growers and winemakers explain the reality. Vincenzo Abbruzzese, the owner of Valdicava and who only grows Sangiovese, organized a tasting of various vintages in the middle of the sunlight in his vineyards a few weeks ago in Montalcino. He said that he achieves color in his wines through properly grown grapes with thicker skins that give him more color during the winemaking process. Watch the video for his full explanation.