Mastrojanni

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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Castelnuovo dell’Abate, Montalcino
People: Francesco Illy, Owner | Guilia Härri, Winemaker
Viticulture: Practicing Biodynamic

Items

Mastrojanni 2021 'San Pio' Toscana IGT Login In Stock
Mastrojanni 2022 'Costa Colonne' Sant'Antimo DOC Login In Stock
Mastrojanni (1.5 L) 2020 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Login In Stock
Mastrojanni 2020 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Login JD 95 In Stock
Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Loreto, DOCG Login WS 94 DEC 94 DEC 97 In Stock
Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Schiena d'Asino, DOCG Login WS 91 WA 95 In Stock
Mastrojanni 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Schiena d'Asino, DOCG Login AG 97 In Stock
Mastrojanni 2022 Rosso di Montalcino DOC Login JD 91 In Stock

The wine estate Mastrojanni lies in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the south easternmost corner of Montalcino, in the Province of Siena. This is an area with a strong winemaking tradition and the homeland of Brunello. The inactive Mount Amiata lends great character to the Sangivese growing in this estate, as the soils are rich in gravel, clay, limestone and sandstone. The estate stretches over 90 hectares, 25 of which for vines, 14 for Brunello, with vineyards often over 35 years old. The height varies from 150 meters to 420 meters above sea level. The area enjoys exposure to all cardinal points, with more or less steep slopes. The average density is of 5,300 vines per hectare yielding below 5 tons per hectare.

Mastrojanni has been writing history with its wines since 1975, collecting awards from all over the world. Today, thanks to an exceptional terroir and men who have believed in it for decades, Mastrojanni has become one of the most respected Montalcino producers. Producing estate, terroir-driven wines, quantities vary vintage to vintage. If the vintage is poor, Mastrojanni has been known not to produce its Brunello, like in the years 1992 and 2002. In 2022, Mastrojanni began biodynamic conversion.

History of Mastrojanni: Born and raised in Montalcino, Andrea Machetti never strayed far from his agricultural roots. After studying agronomy in the early 1980s, he began his career at Montedison, later joining the technical team at Villa Banfi to help implement new winemaking techniques. It was there that he met renowned enologist Maurizio Castelli, who would become a longtime collaborator and mentor.

In the mid-1980s, Castelli brought Machetti with him to Castiglion del Bosco, then a vast estate in transition. Impressed by Machetti’s talent and dedication, Castelli later introduced him to the Mastrojanni family, recommending him as the ideal person to lead the winery’s next chapter. In 1992, Machetti joined Mastrojanni and quickly became the driving force behind its evolution, overseeing both vineyard management and cellar operations.

Mastrojanni was founded in the 1970s by lawyer Gabriele Mastrojanni, whose vision aligned closely with Machetti’s: the vineyard comes first, and the cellar is only for refinement. Together, they championed a resolutely traditional approach to Brunello, prioritizing site expression and authenticity over fleeting trends. Machetti resisted the widespread shift to barrique aging, insisting instead on large-format oak botti to preserve the integrity of Sangiovese and the unique minerality of Mastrojanni’s soils.

Though occasionally at odds with critics who favored a more modern style, Machetti held firm to his philosophy—and over time, the wine press came to celebrate Mastrojanni’s unwavering commitment to purity and place.

In 2008, following the death of the founding family and amid tensions between heirs, Machetti turned to a longtime friend and admirer of the wines, Francesco Illy—who also happened to own the neighboring estate Podere Le Ripi. A devoted fan of the estate, Illy acquired Mastrojanni through the Illy Group and appointed Machetti as CEO, ensuring continuity and honoring the winery’s founding principles.

Today, Andrea Machetti is now the director of the Consorzio del vino Brunello di Montalcino. Under Guilia Härri's watch, Mastrojanni remains one of the great traditional estates of Montalcino, producing age-worthy Brunello that speaks with quiet power and unmistakable clarity of its place. The estate continues to embody a legacy of respect—for the land, the grape, and the generations that brought it to life.

Reviews

  • Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Loreto, DOCG
    The Wine Spectator
    Rating: 94 (6/15/2023)

    An elegant red, with an attractive mix of cherry, raspberry, red flower, mineral and rosemary flavors. Juicy and vibrant, with refined, resonant tannins shoring up the long finish. This shows great balance and expression. Best from 2026 through 2045. 600 cases made, 60 imported.
  • Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Loreto, DOCG
    Decanter
    Rating: 94 (4/10/2023)

    Vigna Loreto intensifies the character of Mastrojanni's estate Brunello, like zooming in on a picture to isolate the focal point. It's flinty and stony on the nose with some cherry compote poking through. Formidably packed, the ripe core is girdled by gravelly tannins - still a bit rigid yet all is in place for a balanced evolution. With an energetic, minerally drive this is true to the 1.5-hectare vineyard's vigorous disposition while demonstrating some of the vintage's restraint.
  • Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Schiena d'Asino, DOCG
    The Wine Spectator
    Rating: 91 (11/30/2023)

    Supple and vibrant, this red exhibits cherry, strawberry, rose hip, sanguine and leafy flavors. Balanced overall, ending with light, chalky tannins. Ready to drink, but there's no rush. Best from 2024 through 2038.

  • Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Schiena d'Asino, DOCG
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 95 (12/14/2023)

    This wine is not labeled Riserva, but it could be for all practical purposes. The Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino has a dry quality of fruit, more brittle, if you will, with fallen autumn leaves, wild game, underbrush, hard salami and black pepper. Like many of the Brunellos from 2018, the primary fruit is not as bright. The tannins are finely textured, but I probably wouldn't age the 2018s as long as I would the 2019s or the 2016s. The last time this wine was made was in 2016, in fact.
  • Mastrojanni 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Loreto, DOCG
    Decanter
    Rating: 97 (6/8/2023)

    (Best in Show) The 2018 vintage was by no means an easy one in Montalcino, as an unpredictable and jerky summer threw up an array of challenges. The results were variable, but the vintage at its best has delivered wines of considered and welcoming charm. This wine's scents are sweet, warm and open, built around a core of ripe plum. The palate is deep and secondary, meaning the plum is beginning to transmute into the mellower but less precise fruits of maturity; the tannins are prominent but well-rounded, while the acidity is more buoyant and vital than you might expect from the aromas.

  • Mastrojanni 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Vigna Schiena d'Asino, DOCG
    Vinous
    Rating: 97 (12/7/2023)

    Dusted blackberries, sweet spice, cloves, rubbed sage, cedar box and smoke can all be found in the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino. Velvety, nearly creamy yet lively, it washes across the palate with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits underscored by saline minerals, all held together by a core of brisk acidity. It finishes staining, long and concentrated with edgy tannins that will require patience to resolve fully. This is a glorious rendition of Vigna Schiena d'Asino.

  • Mastrojanni 2022 Rosso di Montalcino DOC
    Jeb Dunnuck
    Rating: 91 (1/22/2025)

    A bright ruby/red color, the 2022 Rosso Di Montalcino is spicy and floral with notes of wild raspberries, nutmeg, forest floor, and crushed roses. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it offers fine tannins, even acidity, and a clean, mouthwatering finish. This very appealing Rosso should continue to drink well over the coming 7-8 years.
  • Mastrojanni 2020 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
    Jeb Dunnuck
    Rating: 95 (1/22/2025)

    The 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a dark red brick color and is expressive with layered aromas of baked cherries, leather, truffle, crushed flowers, and licorice. It's beautifully detailed on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, a silky texture, wonderfully pure fruit, and a clean, tapering finish with a salty flourish. Very pretty all the way through, it's going to have a wide drinking window and should improve over the coming 10-12 years.