From Olympic Sailing & Aerospace to Brunello: Alessandra Angelini of Altesino

What do Olympic sailing, aerospace engineering, and world-class Brunello have in common? More than you might think.This week on The Sipping Point, Laurie Forster sits down with Alessandra Angelini of Altesino, one of Montalcino's historic Brunello producers.Before returning to Tuscany and her family's wine business, Alessandra trained with the Italian National Team in Olympic-class sailing and earned a degree in aerospace engineering. She went on to work in the United States designing aircraft engines before bringing that combination of discipline, science, and problem-solving back to the family wineries.Alessandra shares how Altesino has maintained its signature elegant style of Sangiovese even as tastes in wine have changed—and why a style that once seemed almost out of step with the times now feels remarkably modern.Laurie and Alessandra also explore the differences between Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino, why Rosso deserves to be taken seriously as its own wine, and how dramatically Sangiovese can express the different soils, elevations, exposures, and microclimates within Montalcino.Then they dive into Montosoli, Altesino's legendary single-vineyard Brunello and one of the wines that helped pioneer the concept of vineyard-designated Brunello in Montalcino.In This EpisodeHow Olympic sailing prepared Alessandra for the unpredictable world of wineWhat aerospace engineering taught her about research, efficiency, and winemakingWhy Rosso di Montalcino isn't simply "Baby Brunello"Why Alessandra calls Sangiovese a "religion" in TuscanyHow northern and southern Montalcino differHow long you can age a great Brunello—and why there isn't one perfect drinking windowAnd perhaps the most important takeaway: great wine doesn't have to be intimidating. As Alessandra puts it, "Brunello is always interesting."Support the showFollow The Sipping Point on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss an episode!Subscribe to our YouTube channel @thewinecoach to get video footage of the podcasts an more.Let's Stay Connected:Instagram @thewinecoachFacebook @winecoachTikTok @LaurieForster