Le Ragnaie : Passo Del Lume Spento 2015

The remarkably fresh bouquet of a "high altitude" Brunello

The producer

The Le Ragnaie property was purchased by Riccardo Campinoti and his wife Jennifer in 2000. Passionate about the unique history, food and wine of the Montalcino region, Riccardo has embraced the traditional winemaking methods of Tuscany to produce Brunello di Montalcino wines which reflect not just the terroir, but also the culture of this region.

The vineyard

The Le Ragnaie estate is situated in the commune of Montalcino in the Tuscan provence of Siena in central Italy. The vineyards, which occupy 42 acres in total, are divided into three separate parcels, producing three separate styles of Brunello di Montalcino. One of these is the Passo del Lume Spento parcel, home to Sangiovese bush vines. The Passo del Lume Spento parcel is actually the highest Sangiovese vineyard in Montalcino, with the vines planted at 621 meters above sea level. The name "Lume Spento" (which translates to "extinguished light") refers to the fact that carriage lamps would be blown out by the wind at this elevation. This high altitude contributes a unique freshness and coolness to the wines of Le Ragnaie, which are known by Brunello lovers for their charming nose, great acidity and fantastic precision. The Le Ragnaie vineyards are cultivated using organic viticultural methods.

The vinification and aging

The Sangiovese grapes are harvested by hand in relatively low yields of 45 liters per hectare. The fruit undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation at 31°C with indigenous yeasts only in cement tanks. The maceration takes a total of 90 days and is followed by malolactic fermentation also in cement tanks. The wines are matured for a period of 36 months in Slavonian oak botti with a capacity of 20 hectoliters. The wines are bottled in January 2019.

The blend

The Le Ragnaie Passo Del Lume Spento 2015 is made with 100% Sangiovese.

The tasting

Color

In the glass, the Le Ragnaie Passo Del Lume Spento 2015 displays a ruby red color, with brick red reflections.

Nose

This Brunello di Montalcino reveals an intense bouquet of ripe black cherries, along with hints of spicy and savory, earthy touches of cedarwood.

Palate

On the palate, the Le Ragnaie Passo Del Lume Spento 2015 offers delicious and very concentrated ripe black fruit flavors, which are nevertheless balanced by an exquisite acidity. This is a very harmonious and elegant Brunello with a long, lingering finish revealing a refreshing minerality.