James has visited this luxury destination in the hills of the Brunello di Montalcino region many times since it was restored in 2003 by Massimo Ferragamo of the famous Tuscan fashion family. Castiglion del Bosco has been making excellent Brunellos long before the hotel, spa and golf course were built, though. The single-vineyard Campo del Drago is rich and powerful, while the tiny-production, magnum-only Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Zodiac and the Bordeaux blend, Prima Pietra, made in the coastal hills near Riparbella, are also excellent and noteworthy.

Today Castiglion del Bosco is one of the leading producers in Montalcino, and on October 30, James tasted three wines from the exceptional 2015 and 2016 Brunello vintages with Massimo Ferragamo and winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi over Zoom. The Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2016, the Brunello Cru Campo del Drago 2016 and the Millecento Brunello Riserva 2015 all showcase the qualities of these years.

You can watch the video below to see what they thought of the wines. You can also hear how the 2015 and 2016 vintages compare and find out why the 2016s wines were not as balanced as the 2015s. 

ZOOM TASTING: CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO