The Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 2018 undergoes a meticulous elaboration process, adhering to the strict regulations of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG designation. Here's a breakdown of the key steps:

Vineyard Management:

Grapes: 100% Sangiovese grown in the Montalcino region, known for its ideal climate and soil composition for this grape variety.
Sustainable viticulture: Altesino prioritizes sustainable practices in the vineyard, minimizing environmental impact while ensuring grape quality.

Winemaking:

Harvest: Manual harvesting takes place at optimal ripeness, ensuring the best possible concentration of flavors and aromas in the grapes.
Destemming and crushing: The grapes are gently destemmed and crushed to separate the berries from the stems.
Fermentation: Alcoholic fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, promoting the conversion of grape sugars into alcohol.
Maceration: The must (crushed grapes with juice and skins) macerates with the skins for an extended period, extracting color, tannins, and flavor compounds from the skins. This typically lasts for several weeks.
Malolactic fermentation: This secondary fermentation converts harsher malic acid into softer lactic acid, contributing to the wine's smoothness and complexity.
Aging: The wine undergoes a minimum of two years of aging in large Slavonian oak barrels. These barrels allow for slow and gentle oxygen exchange, softening the tannins and adding subtle oaky notes to the wine.
Bottle aging: After cask aging, the wine spends at least four months in bottle before release, allowing further refinement and integration of flavors.

It's important to note that the specific details of the winemaking process, such as fermentation temperature and maceration duration, may vary slightly depending on the vintage and the winemaker's preferences. However, the core principles outlined above remain consistent and contribute to the characteristic style and quality of the Altesino Brunello di Montalcino.

While there isn't a single, universally accepted "ranking" for wines, the Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 2018 has received positive scores from several respected wine critics:

James Suckling: 95 points (considered "outstanding")
Wine Spectator: 92 points (considered "outstanding")
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 93+ points (no official scale provided, but generally considered "excellent")
Decanter: 93 points (considered "outstanding")