2019 Castello Romitorio Filo di Seta Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany

Intriguing and captivating, it displays notes of plums, wild violets, black plums, dark chocolate, peppermint, eucalyptus, guarana and coriander. Full body, biting tannins of remarkable tension and a finish of splendid energy and character. Best since 2026.

98 points winesCritic.com

The Castello Romitorio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta reaches a whole other level of intensity and brilliance with dark fruit, blackberry, an etched mineral quality, petrichor and wet slate that gives this wine an incredibly etched and lively presentation. The tannins are velvety and perfectly match the generous texture of this beautiful Sangiovese. Only later, you start to notice the delicate tones of purple flower and iris root that give this wine such an elegant finish. This is a cellar keeper. There are 9,000 bottles of this wine.

Filippo Chia's Castello Romitorio is on fire. All of his wines are enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight, and I am blown away by this year's beautiful Filo di Seta. That's a bottle I want to drink by the fireplace, and it is certainly the best vintage I have tasted so far. The mineral nuances in 2019 are spectacular. Filippo's other wine project is Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte in Maremma, and unfortunately, he is not making his 2023 Morellino di Scansano. However, he is adding a Syrah starting with the 2021 vintage. His Romito wine will be 100% Petit Verdot starting in the 2019 vintage.

98 points Monica Larner robertparker.com

Castello Romitorio Filo di Seta Brunello di Montalcino is one of those wines that stops you in your tracks. Sourced from one of the highest and coolest sites in Montalcino, it offers a more refined, tightly wound expression of Brunello with incredible tension and longevity. This is not about power for the sake of it—it's about detail, precision, and quiet strength.

Winemaker Filippo Chia crafts Filo di Seta from a single vineyard planted on galestro and clay soils, with older vines that naturally yield fewer, more concentrated berries. Fermentation is slow and gentle using native yeasts, followed by extended aging in large oak casks to let the wine evolve with grace.

The aromatics are captivating. Dark cherry and blood orange swirl with wild herbs, dried rose petals, forest floor and a touch of anise. On the palate it's compact and focused, with sculpted tannins, nervy acidity and brooding fruit that unfurls slowly over time. There’s spice, savoury depth, and a cool mineral edge that gives it lift and energy. It’s serious Brunello, built for the long haul.

Best paired with slow-braised meats, game, or truffle-infused dishes, but it can just as easily be the centrepiece of a quiet evening where the wine does the talking. Cellar it with confidence—it has the bones to go the distance.