Cerbaia is one of Brunello’s most quietly assured estates - small, focused, and defined by an unshakable belief in site. The story begins in 1978, when Fabio Pellegrini planted his first vines on Montosoli, convinced that the hill’s north-west-facing galestro soils could deliver elegance rather than brute force. At the time, this was a contrarian choice. With hindsight, it looks quietly visionary.

Today the estate is guided by Fabio’s daughter Elena Pellegrini and her husband, who farm 12 hectares sustainably, with deep respect for the work already laid down. Production remains intentionally modest: roughly 10,000 bottles of Brunello per year, alongside Rosso and Riserva. Nothing here is scaled for convenience. Every decision reflects the limits, and advantages, of a truly small estate.

Montosoli is one of Montalcino’s great historic crus, prized for its ability to combine aromatic lift with structural depth. Cerbaia captures this balance with precision. The wines show clarity rather than concentration, driven by pure crimson fruit and a savoury, hillside edge. Sour cherry, rose petal, dried herbs, and subtle spice unfold gradually, carried by tannins that are silken yet persistent - supportive rather than assertive.

The Rosso di Montalcino offers an earlier, more immediate expression of the site: energetic, transparent, and finely drawn. Brunello demands patience, building complexity and gravitas with time in bottle. The Riserva pushes further still, layering depth and savour without sacrificing the estate’s defining sense of light and proportion.

What defines Cerbaia is confidence without noise. There’s no attempt to chase power, fashion, or scale. From the first pour, the wines communicate place, continuity, and intent - hill-top light, family focus, and the composure of an estate that understands exactly what it is. Cerbaia doesn’t announce itself loudly, but vintage after vintage it delivers Brunello of distinction, balance, and quiet authority.