🇮🇹 Roberto Cipresso Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2021

Baby Brunello energy, minus the four year wait. This is Montalcino Sangiovese that shows up ready to flirt, not to lecture.

Wine Description 

Roberto Cipresso Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2021 is 100% Sangiovese from Montalcino, built for that sweet spot where you want seriousness but you also want to drink the bottle this decade. It’s fermented in stainless steel, then chilled out in large oak for a stretch, so you get structure without the oak cosplay.

The name to know here is Roberto Cipresso, a Montalcino lifer and consultant with deep roots in the zone, and this Rosso is his “show me the terroir” move without the Brunello price tag. 

Vine-To-Table: Meet the Winemaker 

Roberto Cipresso moved to Tuscany in the late 1980s and built his reputation in Montalcino, including a stint as general manager at Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, where the estate’s 1988 Brunello Riserva helped put serious shine on his name. He’s also behind “Winecircus,” his platform for projects across Italy. 

The Vibe 

Silk shirt, leather jacket, knows the bartender. It’s Tuscan, it’s confident, it’s not trying to be your professor.

What it tastes like 

Expect ripe cherry and red berry vibes with savory edges, then a finish that leans dry and structured. Producer notes point to red fruit with spice and a “round” texture, and Wine Enthusiast’s review leans into dark fruit, spice, and a firmly food-friendly frame. 

Pairing + When to drink it 

Throw this on the table with tomato-based pasta, grilled sausages, roast chicken, or anything that wants Sangiovese’s natural acidity. Drink now for the juicy charm, or give it a couple years if you like your reds a little more composed.

Quick Specs 

• Producer: Roberto Cipresso

• Winemaker: Roberto Cipresso 

• Region/Appellation: Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Tuscany, Italy

• Grapes: 100% Sangiovese 

• Vintage: 2021 

• Farming: Sustainable certification by Indaco 

• Winemaking/Aging: Stainless steel fermentation; aged 9 months in large oak barrels; 1 month bottle refinement

• ABV: 14% 

• Bottle size: 750 ml 

Critic Reviews

• Wine Enthusiast: 89 points

  • Reviewed vintage: 2021

  • Date: 12/1/2024 (Issue Date)

  • Excerpt: Notes dark fruit, spice, and a firm, food-friendly structure.

  • Source: Wine Enthusiast Buying Guide

FAQs

Q: What makes Rosso di Montalcino different from Brunello, legally speaking?
A: Rosso di Montalcino is still 100% Sangiovese from the Montalcino zone, but it’s allowed to release much sooner, with a shorter minimum aging requirement and earlier release window than Brunello. Translation: same neighborhood, less waiting. 

Q: Why does the Cipresso tech info mention Sant’Antimo if this is Rosso di Montalcino?
A: “Sant’Antimo” is a well-known area name around Montalcino (tied to the Abbey of Sant’Antimo), and it also appears as its own local DOC in the zone. Cipresso lists the vineyard location as Sant’Antimo, which is basically saying “this comes from that specific pocket of Montalcino land.” 

Q: What does “Sustainable certification by Indaco” actually mean on this wine?
A: Indaco2 is a University of Siena spin-off that works with Life Cycle Assessment methods to measure a product’s environmental profile, including carbon footprint indicators. So it’s not a vibes-based “green” claim, it’s tied to measurable impact accounting. 

Q: What’s the actual winemaking approach for Cipresso Rosso di Montalcino?
A: The producer notes specify stainless steel fermentation, then aging in large oak barrels for nine months with a short bottle refinement. It’s a classic “let Sangiovese talk” setup, not a heavy-handed oak makeover. 

Q: Why do people in Montalcino treat Roberto Cipresso like a big deal?
A: His own bio traces his Montalcino career back to the late 1980s, including leadership work at Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona and a long track record of projects under his Winecircus umbrella. He’s not a tourist in Montalcino, he’s part of the furniture.