Valdicava’s 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a 100% Sangiovese (Brunello clone) from the northern side of the appellation, where the estate farms in the Montosoli area at around 350 meters. Valdicava, owned by the Abbruzzese family since 1953 and led by Vincenzo Abbruzzese since 1987, has long been associated with a concentrated, modern-leaning Brunello style built on low yields and aromatic intensity. The wine is listed at 14% alcohol and was aged for about 24 months in large Slavonian oak casks, in keeping with traditional Brunello maturation.
Critics largely agree that 2012 delivers depth and structure. James Suckling gives an excellent 96 points, highlighting “ripe-fruit and smoked-meat aromas,” calling it “subtle and complex,” with “firm and silky tannins and a long and chewy finish.” He adds that it “needs time to soften” and is “very structured for the vintage,” recommending it as “better in 2020.”
Monica Larner at Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (94 points) frames Valdicava as “its own school within the greater Brunello philosophy,” emphasizing “noticeable density and ever-present aromatic intensity.” She notes a “dark and inky appearance” and a “generous and robust” nose of “dark cherry fruit, plum, Indian spice, mocha and espresso bean,” while also pointing to Sangiovese’s lift: “bright acidity” and “delicate berry nuances” that “give this wine profound depth.” Her conclusion is direct: “a very well-made wine that promises a long aging future.”
Wine Spectator’s Bruce Sanderson (93 points) calls it “rich, dense and muscular,” with “plum, black cherry, leather and tobacco” and “a hint of chocolate on the finish.” He reports “3,000 cases made” and suggests patience: “Best from 2021 through 2035.”
Wine Enthusiast’s Kerin O’Keefe (92 points) leans into savory detail—“truffle, leather, tilled soil, Mediterranean herb,” plus “steeped plum” and “fleshy wild cherry”—and underlines its “age-worthy framework” driven by “firm tannins and fresh acidity.”
