One last splurge as we cover Italy, with the ‘dark one’ of Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino.
Brunello di Montalcino
Even though it’s made from 100% Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is a little different than Chianti from the get go. Rather than using a proliferation of clones, like those found in Chianti, the Sangiovese in the region is actually a selection of particular clones. These clones are collectively known as Brunello. When made well, the wine is dark, featuring huge flavors of blackberry, plums, chocolate, and cherry.
Brunello di Montalcino, like anything else in the world, is being slowly modernized. While in the past, the traditional approach was to use older, larger, used wine barrels (to avoid oak influence), newer producers are using new, French oak barrels. This aging process results in a distinct vanilla note. Of course, there are some in the middle as well.
When it comes to aging, all Brunello must spend at least two years in oak, four months in the bottle, and be aged a total of at least five years before release. A step up from regular Brunello is Riserva. These must spend at least two years in oak, six months in the bottle, and a total of six years being aged.
Don’t expect Brunello to be cheap either. Prices start around $30.
Piccini Villa Al Cortile Brunello Di Montalcino 2008
Looking for the cheapest Brunello I could find lands us with Piccini Villa Al Cortile Brunello Di Montalcino. Sliding in at $27, is it worth the price of admission?
Sight: A moderate red, bordering between garnet and ruby. Slight oranging around the edge.
Smell: The nose complexly bounces between smokey leather and bright candied raspberries. Chocolatey notes get caught up with hints of spice and red plum. Tobacco, hints of herbs and pepper, as well as a touch of earth, add another level.
Sip: Bright and smooth, it has a moderate – heavy weight to it. The earthiness of the wine makes itself known, and it heavily features leather, tobacco, red plums, and spice. There is red fruit that makes up a backbone here, with a subdued character of raspberry and cranberry. Even before the wine is gone, the tannins still wind tightly around the tongue.
Savor: The ending is lasting, and hangs on for minutes at a time. The initial start is deeply tannic and almost gets to darker fruit like plums and blackberries. Throughout the duration, leather, cocoa powder, and spice make their presence known, giving a slightly black tea like note to the ending. As the finish builds, more red plum creeps in.
Piccini Villa Al Cortile Brunello Di Montalcino is a fierce wine, with plenty of earthy and spice notes to drive it. While this wine is approaching a decade in the bottle, it shows no indication that it’s going to stop being aggressively tannic. The nice part is there’s plenty of aging potential then. The question is upside. While relaxing may bring out some more fruit, the wine is definitely on the cooler side of the spectrum, and even after decanting, doesn’t seem to have a whole lot hidden. Instead, the balance seems poised to improve.
If you have the patience, then Piccini Villa Al Cortile Brunello Di Montalcino is a nice choice to start a Brunello adventure, but you may want to wait to 2019 or 2020 to start your journey.
Verdict: Leather, Spice, Cocoa Powder, Tea, Red Plum
Rating: 88
Price: $30
Tuscany, Italy
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