The noble Costanti family goes back a long way – at least to Renaissance times. One of several famous counts, Costanti – Tito – was both a lawyer and a winemaker, and anticipated the present DOCG and DOC denominations. Not only was he one of the very first to use the name Brunello for Montalcino red wines, but the methods he employed were strikingly similar to those used for Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino today.

Costanti Brunellos, however, were jealously guarded wines until the early 1960s, circulating solely among the owners’ friends and family. This changed with count Emilio Costanti, physician and grape-grower, who first put the family name on the wine map. Dr. Costanti had no children. After maximizing the winery’s potential and releasing the first “public” vintages, Emilio traced the sole living descendant of the ancient Sienese family, Andrea Costanti, a fresh graduate in geology at the University of Siena with no background in wine.

Andrea was appointed as the legendary count’s heir and successor in 1983 and immediately proved himself well worthy of Emilio’s trust. He not only coped with his new responsibilities but enhanced the family’s reputation for making great Brunello. Andrea achieved this by relying on his excellent instincts for wine, and an in-depth knowledge of the terrain’s geological components. In time, these natural skills were perfected, so that he eventually styled the range together with the winemaker, Vittorio Fiore.