Sassetti Pertimali
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – 2017
Region: ITALY - TUSCANY Italy - Veneto
Sassetti Pertimali
For over a century, four generations of the Sassetti family have farmed and made wine in Montalcino. Livio worked the historic property through the late 1970s, then purchased the 16-hectare (39.53 acres) Podere Pertimali vineyard. The now–famous Podere is in the Montosoli area, north of Montalcino, an area recognized for the cultivation of the Sangiovese grape.
In 1967, Livio was among the founders of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, which was the same year the DOC(G) system was written into law. In 1968 he built a terracotta wall in his cellar to preserve the old vintages of the wines produced by the family. Today, that collection consists of almost 1,000 bottles, with vintages dating back to 1915. Dedicated to the land, Livio has over time rehabilitated and expanded the vineyards, preserving the genetic heritage of the old vines and preserving the primigenial characteristics.
In 1999, the Sassetti family acquired La Querciolina a beautiful property located in the Maremma within the Montecucco DOC. They also work with a small property in Colle Argento located in the Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG region.
Today, the estates are managed by Lorenzo Sassetti, Livio’s son, fourth generation family member and acclaimed winemaker. Together with his wife Sabina they passionately uphold the family name and reputation. Lorenzo’s wines have deep roots in their respective terroirs. The wines are invigorating, aromatic, powerful styles that dance on the palate. Sassetti Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino is a collector’s wine. A true benchmark.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Sassetti Pertamali estate vineyards are located at the top of the Montosoli hills, north of Montalcino, a very well known area for the cultivation of Sangiovese.
- Soils: Clay and limestone
- Vines Planted: 1988 – 2001
- Vine Training System: Spurred cordon
- Planting Density: 7000 vines/Ha
Harvest Notes
- 2017 weather proved variable, but welcome rains in the fall provided great later growing conditions for good ripening
- Much smaller crop than average years but high quality, small berries
- Hand harvested early October
- Gently crushed, fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 10 – 12 days
- Aged 36 months in 30 Hl Slavonian oak barrels
- Aged 6 months in bottle
Winemaker's Notes
Silky, rich red color. Wild berry, dark cherry and complex floral aromas. The definition of elegance in the glass and on the palate, the wine is refined with a silk-like texture and smooth, integrated tannins.
Wine Summary
100% Sangiovese Grosso (Brunello) 100%; alcohol: 14.5%; Vines planted 1988 – 2001; vineyard soils of clay and limestone; fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures 28 – 29 °C; maceration for 10 – 12 days; aged 36 months in 30 Hl Slavonian oak barrels; aged 6 months in bottle.
Technical Information
- 100% Sangiovese Grosso
- Alcohol: 14.5%
Reviews
93 Points
The Sassetti Livio Pertimali 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is quite bright and lifted with cherries and fresh fruits that pop from the glass. The primary intensity is radiant in this wine, setting it apart from many of its peers. It covers the palate with mid-weight intensity, nice acidity and silky tannins. The brightness you get here is so attractive now, so I see little reason to wait much longer before pulling this cork. 2024 – 2035
© Wine Advocate, February, 2022
93 Points
The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known with a burst of dusty black raspberries, mentholated herbs, crushed ashen stone and dark flowery undergrowth. Silky-smooth and round in feel, it impresses with a cooling wave of mint-infused wild berry fruits mixed with balsamic spices and wood-smoked salts. While the 2017 doesn’t have the weight and density you’d expect from such a young Pertimali, yet it makes up for it with grace and purity, leaving a light coating of tannins and minerals to mingle throughout the finale. In order to uphold their standards of quality, production was down by a whopping 50%. 2024 – 2027
– Unfortunately, the Livio Sassetti – Pertimali winery was one of the most devastated by the April frosts in 2017. However, what was left endured through the harsh summer months in the water-retaining soils of the Montosoli hill. Like other producers in this area, the early September rains and cooler temperatures that followed gave them an advantage, with ideal conditions that lasted until harvest, which started the last week of the month. Still, with healthy but ultra ripe fruit and thick skins, Lorenzo Sassetti chose to keep macerations short. In the end, combining the frost and other challenges of the year, the winery’s production was down by 50%, and this was without making any Rosso or Brunello Riserva. The good news is that this traditional estate continues to show that the unevenness and variation of quality that once existed here is long, long gone. Today’s wines are brilliant examples of Montalcino and Montosoli terroir, as were the many back vintages that were pulled from the cellar during my visit.
Vinous, November, 2021
94 Points
Black cherry and mushroom with some dried flower undertones. Full-bodied with fine velvety tannins and a juicy and succulent finish. The tannins are very polished for a 2017. Try from 2023 onwards.
jamessuckling.com, December, 2021
92 Points
Floral aromas of violet mingle with underbrush, plum and a whiff of new leather. Full-bodied and enveloping, the concentrated palate offers fleshy black cherry, orange zest and ground clove before a licorice close. It’s already rather accessible, with velvety if slightly drying tannins. Drink 2023–2029.
Wine Enthusiast, April, 2022
90 Points
An opulent style, this red exhibits cherry, berry, tobacco and oak spice flavors. Though fluid, this is firm, with a dense matrix of dusty tannins flexing on the earthy finish. Best from 2024 through 2039.
Wine Spectator, June, 2022
General Info
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany, Veneto |
| Appellation(s) | Montalcino, Montecucco, Valdobbiadene |
| Proprietors | Lorenzo Sassetti & Sabina La Brusco Sassetti |
| Founded | late 1800s |
| Winemaker | Lorenzo Sassetti |
| Annual Production | 13,250 9L cases |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Following organic principles, not certified |
