Club Pontet Labrie | Brunello and Beyond

The third in a regular series of BYO* dinners for Club Pontet Labrie members; we were pleased to be joined by Castiglion del Bosco's winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi and CEO Simone Pallesi.

This dinner explored the wines of Tuscany - Brunello and beyond. Castiglion del Bosco is widely celebrated for their award-winning Brunellos. (In fact, their cru, Campo del Drago Brunello di Montalcino 2018, recently claimed the “3 Bicchieri” prize, the highest award given by one of the most respected wine guides in Italy, Gambero Rosso’s Guida Vini d’Italia.)

Appropriately for Club Pontet Labrie, however, Cecilia graced us with a special showcase of Castiglion del Bosco’s single-vineyard project, Prima Pietra. This Super Tuscan is produced at Tenuta Prima Pietra, a winery located in a small town on the Tuscan coast called Riparbella. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it is a rich red with unique complexity and persistence. While the specific ratios of the blend differ vintage to vintage, the hands-on approach to wine production does not. Both pruning and harvesting are done by hand, and special measures are taken to increase biodiversity and bring balance to the vineyard. At this dinner, Cecilia presented two vintages of Prima Pietra and shared with us her insights and experiences from the vineyard.

* Recommended £80+ retail, relevant to Tuscan dinner theme. We ask to please bring something interesting and personal to you, ideally with a bit of age and a good story! We are happy to offer guidance on suitable options and in limited cases can provide a bottle for you.