Case Basse, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Soldera 1998

Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Soldera 1998 is one of Tuscany’s most coveted wines, a benchmark Brunello prized by collectors and classic Italian wine lovers alike. Crafted exclusively from Sangiovese Grosso and aged for extended periods in cask and bottle, this Riserva captures the elegance, complexity and longevity that have made Soldera a legend in Montalcino. The 1998 vintage is now in its mature drinking window, offering tertiary nuances and remarkable depth for those who appreciate fully evolved Brunello.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 1998 Soldera Brunello Riserva shows a deep garnet core with brick-orange hues at the rim, reflecting its age and careful cellaring. The nose is intensely expressive and layered: dried cherries, blood orange peel and macerated red berries unfold alongside notes of rose petals, tobacco leaf, leather, cedar, forest floor and a subtle balsamic lift. On the palate, the wine is refined and harmonious rather than showy, with silky, integrated tannins and a vibrant, still-present acidity that keeps the wine fresh despite its age. Flavors of dried red cherry, sour plum, potpourri, savory herbs, tea leaf and sweet spices evolve with air, leading into a long, haunting finish marked by mineral notes and gentle earthiness. At this stage, the wine is fully mature, but top, well-stored bottles can continue to develop tertiary complexity over the next 5–10 years, rewarding slow, contemplative drinking.

Production
Case Basse lies in one of Montalcino’s most carefully tended micro-terroirs, with low-yielding Sangiovese Grosso vines rooted in poor, stony soils that naturally limit production and concentrate flavor. Grapes for the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Soldera are harvested by hand in small crates, with rigorous selection in the vineyard and again at the winery to ensure only perfectly healthy and ripe bunches make it into the final wine. Fermentation traditionally takes place in large oak vats using native yeasts, followed by extended aging in large Slavonian oak botti, where the wine evolves slowly, gaining complexity and finesse without being dominated by new wood. Bottled unfiltered and released only after long cellar maturation, this is Brunello made in a resolutely artisanal, terroir-driven style.

Food & Serving
This mature Brunello Riserva pairs beautifully with refined, earthy dishes such as slow-braised beef or veal, roast lamb with rosemary, truffle risotto, porcini mushroom ragù, or aged Tuscan pecorino. Serve at 17–18°C (around 63–65°F) in large Burgundy or Bordeaux-style glasses to allow the bouquet to fully open. Given its age and sediment, decant gently 1–2 hours before serving to remove any deposit and let the wine breathe, taking care not to overexpose it to vigorous aeration.

Producer
Case Basse, founded and meticulously developed by the late Gianfranco Soldera, is one of the most revered small estates in Montalcino and a standard-bearer for traditional, terroir-expressive Brunello. Located in the southwestern part of the appellation, the estate is renowned for its obsessive attention to vineyard health, biodiversity, and low-intervention winemaking. Soldera’s Brunello wines—especially the Riserva bottlings—have achieved near-mythical status among collectors and critics, frequently cited as some of Italy’s finest and most ageworthy reds, and playing a key role in defining Brunello di Montalcino’s global prestige.

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