2004 | Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera | Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Just ramping up the almost narcotic, opium-den height and depth of incense and flowers, melding with those bloody, animal scents. Smooth as silk, the poise and the elegance of the tannins against the sweetness of the fruit is beguiling, in a fabulous, multi-layered wine.

Producer Information

Case Basse di Gianfranco Soldera, more commonly referred to as Case Basse or Soldera, is a wine estate founded in 1972 in Montalcino, Tuscany. It is known for its prized Brunello wines which, despite high prices, generally sell out on release. The Case Basse vineyard is just two hectares (five acres) in size, while the estate's other plot, Intistieti, covers around 4.5ha (11 acres). Both are planted entirely to Sangiovese, and make a small range of wines under the Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino and IGT Toscana designations – the exact blends and classifications change every year. The estate has expansive rose gardens – containing more than 1500 species – and woods to encourage biodiversity. Vineyard practices are modern and geared towards yield restriction, with short winter pruning, a green pruning in the summer, and grape thinning to aid ripening. In the cellar things are more traditional. The standard label is fermented using natural yeasts and is aged for up to five years in large Slavonian oak in a subterranean cellar which does not require temperature control. The Riserva wine receives an extra year of aging. In some vintages, and/or from younger vines, Case Basse produces Intistieti and Pegasos IGT Toscana red wines, which spend less time in cask. Wines are bottled unfiltered, and production is limited to around 15,000 bottles per year. In 2012, five years' worth of Soldera production, from 2007 to 2012, was almost completely destroyed by former employee Andrea Di Gisi after he broke into the cellar. Di Gisi was sentenced to four years in prison. Following the sabotage, Soldera resigned from the local wine trade body, the Brunello di Montalcino Consorzio, despite the latter offering to supply him with wine to sell (which he turned down). Gianfranco Soldera died in 2019. He was highly regarded as a winemaker and embraced many minimal-intervention techniques in the vineyard and winery, from an outright ban on chemical fertilizers on the land to indigenous yeasts in cellar. He was, however, just as well known for his run-ins with the Consorzio, and other local producers. The estate continues to be run by Soldera's widow Graziella and children Monica and Mauro, and their partners.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.