Vinous Media 92
"The 2019 Rosso di Montalcino is drop-dead gorgeous, slowly unfolding in the glass; at first smokey and herbal, yet gaining depths of dark red fruits and sweet spice over time. Its silky-smooth in texture, contrasted by savory wild berry, plum and zesty acids, with purple tinged inner florals amassing toward the close. Licorice and hints of black currant linger, along with a coating of round tannins, making for a lightly structured yet still highly enjoyable finale. - By Eric Guido on November 2020"

Wine Advocate 91
"Wild roses, cassis and lavender open the bouquet of the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino. Uccelliera offers a terrific Rosso in this vintage with slightly more concentration and volume compared to previous editions. This wine has a pretty floral component that underlines the delicate, elegant and streamlined personality of this classic Rosso. Production is 26,500 bottles and, interestingly, 350 magnums."

Jeb Dunnuck 91
"The 2019 Rosso di Montalcino is aromatic of cherry lozenge, licorice, and violets. The palate is pure and approachable, with ripe black raspberry, dried strawberry, and sweet herbs. The 2019 is sunny and fresh, with a softer, more rounded feel than the 2018 and great for early drinking. 2021-2025."

The Wine
100 Sangiovese from clay and sand soils rich in minerals
Made from younger Brunello di Montalcino vineyards
Cold maceration with the skins at 10-12 degrees Celsius
Fermentation and maceration with the skins for 18/20 days with pumping over of the must in steel vats with temperature control
Malolactic fermentation in steel followed by maturation in oak casks and barrels of various capacity for 10 months
Finishing in the bottle for 5 months

The Estate
Andrea Cortonesi reflects the best of the artisan spirit in Montalcino. The Uccelleria wines are rich, layered and beautifully textured. Antonio Galloni

Without a shadow of a doubt, Andrea Cortonesi of Uccelliera lands high on my list of favorite Brunello di Montalcino producers. The Wine Advocate

The Uccelliera estate was at once part of neighboring Ciacci Piccolomini until 1986, when winemaker Andrea Cortonesi purchased it from his friends and former employers. After refining his trade as cellar master for Ciacci, Andrea ventured out on his own with the formation of Uccelliera. His first vintage was 1991 with the production of a mere 500 bottles!

The wines have quickly become cult favorites amongst the cognoscenti. Tucked away in the southeast corner of the appellation in Castelnuovo dellAbate, the soil here is loose and stony which when coupled with a warm microclimate gives the wines of Uccelliera a rich and ripe expression, vintage after vintage. Andrea Cortonesi is tireless in his approach to winemaking, with all vineyard work done exclusively by hand. In addition to Brunello, the Rosso di Montalcino is a very limited production and features an unusually powerful nose and ripe, rich fruit. Rounding out the lineup is the tiny-production Super Tuscan, Rapace, which is a blend of 70 Sangiovese, 20 Merlot, and 10 Cabernet and aged in barrique.