On the south-eastern flank of the hill of Montalcino, at about 400 metres altitude, lies the Fornacina estate. Five hectares of vineyard, divided over two plots: three hectares around the cellar itself, and another two on the south side, near Castelnuovo dell'Abate — two slightly different terroirs that together shape the characteristic layering of the wines.

The first bottle of Fornacina Brunello dates from 1981, the year in which founder Ruggero Biliorsi began production. Today the company is continued by his son Simone, assisted by his brother Mauro — two generations safeguarding the same values of the land on which the estate once arose.

Montalcino is a region where tradition weighs heavily, but at Fornacina that does not come at the expense of innovation: from planting techniques to winemaking, they always look for what benefits quality — without losing the soul of an authentic Brunello. Since 2004 the estate has also been officially certified organic (ICEA).

In the cellar, partly excavated seven metres underground and spread over two levels, the large, traditional oak casks play the leading role in ageing the wine — a deliberate choice for the classic, restrained style of Brunello, rather than the smaller French barriques that are popular elsewhere in Tuscany.