Tasting Notes: Approaching Montalcino from the southeast, visitors to the medieval town must first climb the hill of Le Macioche, just beyond which estate of the same name is located. Biondi-Snati’s famous Ii Greppo is just up the road.At 450 meters above sea level, the three hectares of vinesare at the highest altitude of all our Brunello producers and among the highest in the entire DOCG zone. There are no barriques at Le Macioche, only large botti are used. There are distinctive wines, showing elegant high-toned aromatics and complex floral to woodsy scents, with hints of underlying power and full body. This is an estate on the rise, whose 2001 Riserva was called classically built and a gem by Antonio Galloni of Wine Advocate, who rated it 92 points. Cult winemaker Maurizo Casstelli consults a total annual production is only about 1500 cases. Lovers of traditionstyle, ruby red, elegant Sangiovese must not miss these wines. Their Rosso, produced for the first time since 2005, is an incredibly perfumed and elegant expression of Montalcino Sangiovese, all declassified from Brunello vineyards.