In an orchestra our Brunello di Montalcino Riserva would be the cello, deep, resonating and powerful. Produced only in the best years.
2012
DOCG
Sangiovese
450 m
South facing vineyard at 450 metres. Sandy loam and volcanic soil mix, with marl veins.
A cold winter was followed by a mild spring, with adequate rainfall. Summer arrived hot and early, and the vines became very vigorous. Grapes ripened uniformly, albeit quite fast. In late summer, however, hot, dry days followed by cold nighttime temperatures slowed the ripening down, and ensured the quality of polyphenols and acidity. We harvested at the beginning of October.
spontaneous, on indigenous wild yeasts, in tronic oak vats
3 days at 12°C pre-fermentation, 50 days post-fermentation
6 months in french barriques followed by 4 years in large Slavonian oak barrels
4800 bottles
14.5 %
A solid Brunello with pretty berries, chocolate and cedar character. Full body, firm tannins and a chewy finish. Rich and powerful. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. This is a wine that needs another two or three years of bottle age to soften.
cod. 10-100I love the way the deep, dusty nose opens up as this areates, revealing very ripe fruits, and just a hint of dried fruits. The licorice and dried flowers follow. The huge dry tannins enable this concentrated and elegant wine to easily carry all the power and push the finish out a really long way. Drink or hold.
cod. 12-100
"Here is a Brunello with so much refinement and class combining cherry, tea and tobacco character. Full and so very polished. The length and intensity is fabulous. Incredibly powerful tannins that remain refined. Give it three or four years. Better after 2018 but fabulous now".
cod. 52-100Aromas of sandalwood and strawberries, follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a long finish. Intense fruit. Better in 2014. From biodynamic grapes.
cod. 62-80Deep maturing ruby with the beginning of orange. Fine, profound iron and cherry finely spiced, with a peppery edge. Not open by far, and none of the rich characteristics of the 2007 vintage. Fine acidity turning up on the finish, with a hit of dry, bitter tannins on the finish. Well-formed concentration. Great effort, but not ready yet. (WS)
cod. 9-40Deep ruby with orange tinges. Lifted cherry nose and a fragrant cherry and raspberry palate of almost cool-climate character. Firm tannins framing medium-bodied cool fruit. Long and focused, while the big tannins demand much more time.
cod. 11-40
Dense, sweet, extremely concentrated fragrance with balsamic top notes and fine wood. Great abundance and rich structure in mouth, extremely wide, generous, and with monumental intensity. Enormous finish, ever juicy, with a gigantic fully ripe tannin yield, eternally long.
cod. 13-40