BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

2019 Riserva Fuligni

EN PRIMEUR

Fragrant, bitter orange, cherry and plum, balsamic, coffee, sleek, taut and pure with a richly tannic frame, lovely balance and length.L&S (Apr 2025)

75cl bottles (case of 6)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

Fuligni's last Riserva was the 2016 vintage, and this 2019 absolutely lives up to the estate's rigorous standards for bottling only in the best years. Gorgeous aromatics of cherry, florals, wood and some sottobosco emphasise its depth but also its vitality. The vibrant cherry and dark berry flavours are energetic and accomplished, and the intense, bright and long palate favours poise over muscularity. Superb. Drinking range: 2025 - 2044 Rating: 97 James Button, Decanter (Feb 2025)

Dried-berry, orange-peel and flower aromas follow through to a medium body with ultrafine tannins that blend nicely into the wine, delivering energy and length. Lovely ripe fruit with a juicy and flavorful finish. A classic and wonderfully proportioned young Brunello. Drinkable but better after 2026 and beyond. Drinking range: 2026 - Rating: 97 Aldo Fiordelli, JamesSuckling.com (Jan 2025)

Mid ruby with orange tinges. Chalky, minerally sour-cherry and raspberry nose with a complex, exotic-spice note. With aeration, enticing purity of fruit. Lots of concentrated sweet red fruit but with the right dose of tangy acidity and tactile chewy tannins. Sensationally balanced. Drinking range: 2025 - 2036 Rating: 18 Walter Speller, www.jancisrobinson.com (Dec 2024)

The 2019 Fuligni Brunello Riserva is drop-dead gorgeous. Made with the oldest estate vines, it opens with enticing scents of pine forest, violet, eucalyptus, juniper, new leather and dark exotic spice. Boasting intensity and finesse, the delicious, radiant palate delivers succulent Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice, black tea and baking spice set against enveloping, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity provides balance and the promise of great longevity. An absolutely thrilling wine. Drink 2029–2049. Drinking range: 2029 - 2049 Rating: 100 Kerin O'Keefe, kerinokeefe.com (Nov 2024)

Produced only in vintages with ideal ripeness and substantial acid backbone to guarantee longevity, Fuligni’s Riserva aspires to express the characteristics of a vintage to their fullest. With simmering fragrance, regal structure and inner brightness to illuminate the wine’s profound depths, the 2019 edition definitely succeeds. Intense cherry, orange zest, heady truffle and forest roots take hold on the nose. The fruit is pristine and even sleek and curvaceous but the tannins have a countering bite. Tangy pomegranate rings out from the core of this elegantly weighted gem; everything is neatly in place and unfolding at a tastefully measured gait. Drinking range: 2027 - 2043 Rating: 98 Michaela Morris, Decanter (Nov 2024)

Founded in 1923 by Giovanni Fuligni, the estate today is co-owned by Robert Guerrini Fuligni and his delightful aunt Maria Flora Fuligni. Roberto works closely with his strong team of Simone Bacconi as agronomist and Daniele Zeffirini as winemaker, with additional technical advice from Federico Ricci in the vineyards, and oenologist father and son Paolo and Jacopo Vagaggini. These are all kept under control by Daniela Perino, who runs the office and commercial side.

The estate covers 100 hectares, of which 14 are under vine, almost all planted with Sangiovese, with a small amount of Merlot for the IGT blend. Most of the land is in a strip on the eastern side of Montalcino, the classic and historical area for the production of Brunello, in localitá Cottimelli. What is important is the combined height of the vineyards (350-440m), the density of planting, age of the vines (14-40) and the 'galestro' soils on which they are planted. Fuligni's wines have reached international recognition for their purity of expression, strong backbone of acidity and polished tannins.

These are simply the finest wines of Brunello, epitomising all that is great from the region. The 'Rosso' now comes from a defined part of the vineyard, on clay and tufa rather than the marl of the Brunello. It is made from the outset as a Rosso, with different clones and the intention to make a wine which will be approachable at a much younger age.

L&S's relationship with Roberto goes back to the mid-nineties. We have always loved the wines here, which combine the concentration and elegance of the best of Brunello. They can be drunk more or less from release, and are so perfectly balanced that they age beautifully. The 'Riserva' releases, made only in the best years, can reward cellaring for decades.

ORDERING VIA OUR WEBSITE:

  • Click on the 'ORDER' button to add cases to your Wishlist order form. The Wishlist appears in both the sidebar and header (separately from the main basket).
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  • Submit your Wishlist order form with your details and please indicate any special requirements in the notes, including whether you would like the wines duty paid.
  • We will respond as quickly as possible with confirmation of your order and your invoice.

Please note that certain wines are on very tight allocations and will first be offered to customers who buy across the range. If you have any queries, please email our primeurs team or speak to your usual L&S contact.

ORDERING VIA EMAIL:

Please feel free to email us your Wishlist at any time. This list can include wines listed as available on the website, as well as those marked 'To Be Advised'. We will reply as soon as possible with confirmation of what we can offer.

STORAGE OPTIONS:

Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information.

While helpful, we do not require a firm commitment on delivery destination to process your primeur order at this stage. Our team will be in contact with you when your wines arrive in the UK to confirm the necessary delivery details.

2024 LATEST ITALIAN RELEASES OFFER FAQ

OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation.

PRICING: All prices are quoted IN BOND ex-VAT, by the case size stated. Please double check that the desired case size does match what is being offered as wines are variously listed in threes, sixes, dozens, halves and larger formats.

DELIVERY - TIMING: This is a primeur offer so the wines are not yet physically available for delivery. They will be shipped to the UK over the next eighteen months. Generally wines are shipped to your nominated location once the whole order has landed in our London City Bond account. If you require wines to be delivered by a certain date, please advise us at the time of ordering.

DELIVERY - FEES: In bond delivery to an Elephant Storage account (for more information see 'Storage Options' opposite) is free of charge. Transfer of wines to any third party bond (i.e. not Elephant Storage) will incur an administration charge of £16.50 + VAT for all orders under £500. If you require wines duty paid, please indicate this in your Wishlist order form. A duty & VAT invoice will be raised once all the wines on your order are available for shipment. Once the relevant duty & VAT has been settled, we will ship the wines to your nominated address as per our normal duty paid Delivery Terms.

PAYMENT: All orders will be invoiced for immediate payment by cheque, cash, debit card or cleared funds to our account. We regret that we cannot accept credit cards for primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.