Brunello Di Montalcino Wine

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Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. is one of the most prestigious wines in Italy. D.O.C.G. stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. These letters are on the pink collar strip on each bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. The D.O.C.G., as a category, was created in 1980 and, out of hundreds of Italian wines, there are just 45 D.O.C.G.s in all of Italy. It is an elite and exclusive category of wine with many rules and regulations, including panel tastings for quality and maximum yields. Brunello can only be made from 100% Sangiovese, known in Montalcino as Brunello, grown on authorised vineyards. There are minimum and maximum altitudes for vine cultivation and there has actually been a freeze on authorisations since 1995. The maximum yield per hectare is 7.000 kg of grapes (the conversion to wine is 68%). The wine must spend 2 years in wood and cannot be released until the fifth January after harvest – so 2004 is on sale in 2009, 2005 in 2010 and so on and so forth. One of the DOCG regulations expressly forbids climate intervention, so any kind of manipulation of nature is forbidden. So no irrigation or smudge-pots and great variation from vintage to vintage. The heatwave of 2003 or the wet 2002 is expressed in Brunellos from these vintages. These troughs and peaks make it hair-raising for producers who can see a year’s work disappear in 10 minutes of hail, but make Brunello a fascinating wine for consumers. In an ideal scenario the difference in vintage quality should determine potential cellar aging – a petit vendage as they French so generously call them – should be consumed soon after release whereas the great vintages should be cellared for 5+ years or much more. Currently there are over 200 producers of Brunello, all essentially following the same “recipe”. What differentiates producers is essentially a mix of two variables; terroir and wood. An estate’s attitude to wood aging is usually a key to their whole wine philosophy. Terroir Montalcino has quite different subzones and an incredible variety of soil types, altitude and so on. Where an estate is – or where an estates’ vineyards are (not always the same thing) – can result in distinct markers. For example the south-west facing low altitude estates have soil that contains marine fossils and was once sea. This can come out in a salty tang or, at worse, as a brackish “salmastro” taste in the wines. The north-west estates tend to have greener tastes due to a slower maturatation due to their position. And so on and so forth. Wood : size, provenance, time in Brunello must spend two years in wood but the original DOCG regulations were for 4 years. The towns’ production is now split between modern “international” Brunello which relies on barriques, 225 liter French oak barrels, and the “traditional” producers who prefer to use the large “botti.” These barrels are made from Slavonian oak and are so large that they can be cleaned by hand i.e. someone actually goes in to scrape them out, and can be re-used for many years. The wood:wine ratio is clearly very different so barrique aged Brunellos tend to spend the minimum 2 years in wood whereas the traditional Brunellos can spend three or even the original four years in wood. The tertiary aromas from the different sized barrels are quite different. Montalcino has every kind of producer and wine philosophy; tiny estates with less than 2 hectares under vine, those who consult the moon before bottling, truly biodynamic properties, VIP owned boutique wineries, ancient Tuscan noble families, locally owned farms and huge conglomerates. Montalcino itself is a terrifically cosmopolitan community. An article recently highlighted that there are 44 nationalities in a town of 4.000 residents… – Description from Laurapal (hide)

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Tasting Tommasi: Amarone for the Ages

Pierangelo Tommasi is the Co-Proprietor and Export Director of Tommasi Viticoltori, a family-owned winery founded by his great-grandfather in 1902 in the heart of Italy’s Valpolicella Classico region in the Veneto. He is one of nine members of the four...

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Varietals Produced in Brunello Di Montalcino View all

Syrah

The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...
Sangiovese

Prounounced “San-joh-vay-say,” this Italian wine varietal is Tuscany’s #1 red wine grape. It’s the pistol of Central ...
Cabernet Sauvignon

“King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...
Barbera

History of the grape: Barbera is a native to the Piedmont, where it has been growing for centuries, and is now the fo...
Nebbiolo

History of the grape: Two schools of thought exist as to the origins of Nebbiolo (which means “little fog” either for...

Popular Wineries in Brunello Di Montalcino View all

Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Donatella Cinelli Colombini is a Medieval scholar-turned wine producer in Montalcino, Italy. Sh...
Villa Poggio Salvi

Traditional wines produced with modern methods: this is the philosophy of Villa Poggio Salvi. ...
Terralsole

Vigna Pian Bossolino is located on Montalcintf's south eastern slopes, an area well known for its...
Case Basse

Case Basse is an estate in the southwest area of Montalcino, where Sangiovese Grosso vines are gr...
La Velona

The vineyards of the farm cover an area of 12 hectares planted with Sangiovese Grosso which is th...
poggio di sotto

Fattoria Poggio di Sotto was founded in 1989 on the south-east side of Montalcino, considered o...

People getting updates on Brunello Di Montalcino Wines

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Brunello Di Montalcino on Snooth

Dec 23, 2009

23 December 2009 The Consorzio have just sent out a press release for the new traceability procedure via SMS. Send a text message to 0039 366 3008880 with the three capital letters from the pink DOCG strip, the 8 numbers from the strip and the bottle capacity. e.g. AAI 00930123 0.75 In a matter of moments an SMS comes flying back with t...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Dec 21, 2009

GIRO D’ITALIA 2010 is finishing up in Montalcino! Come and watch bicycles on 15 May. The 93rd edition of the Giro D’Italia will start in Amsterdam on 8 May 2010 and finish at the Verona arena on 30 May. There are 21 stages for a total of 3.415,50 km. For the second time in the race’s history the Giro will be going through Montalcino – on the...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 27, 2009

Benvenuto Brunello 2010 - 19/22 February BB will be from 19-22 February @ the Fortress in Montalcino. This is an unique opportunity to see most of Montalcino two hundred plus producers standing cheek to jowl in their Sunday best in a tent. It also provides a wonderful occasion to sample 2005 Brunello and 2004 Riservas and form an opinion abou...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 21, 2009

WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 WINES 2009 Congratulations to the three Brunello 2004s in the top 20 of WS's top 100 world wines: 11° Poggio il Castellare 15° Castelgiocondo Marchesi Frescobaldi 16° Uccelliera

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 18, 2009

Gambero Rosso Vini D'Italia 2010 - TRE BICCHIERI. Here are the 16 wineries that got the prestigious 3 bicchieri award for their Brunello 2004: Biondi Santi - Tenuta Il Greppo, Canalicchio - Franco Pacenti Canalicchio di Sopra La Cerbaiola Cerbaiona Podere La Fortuna Tenuta La Fuga Greppone Mazzi - Tenimenti Ruffino Poggio di Sotto T...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
Nov 17, 2009

BENVENUTO BRUNELLO 2010 US DATES! Chicago has been chosen as the second U.S. city for the 2010 edition of Benvenuto Brunello. The Chicago tasting is scheduled for February 1 and will be part of a larger program devoted to the wines of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti Classico, and Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene. The New York tasti...

Comment by 193530Laurapal 193530
March 2017

Ridolfi Brunello di Montalcino 2010

Snoothrank:

Brick color in the glass. Interestingly a winemaker (of Italian heritage) once told me that Sangiovese should be a brick or umber color, not bright red. It did have a lively red fruit nose and on the tip of the tongue more of the same. After that I lost interest in this wine--fruit fades, no acid, no body, no complexity, no soul. There's not... Read More

Wine review by EMark
March 2017

Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino 2011

Snoothrank:

bold, dark, fruity, savoury Read More

Wine review by Dennis Lim
February 2017

Lisini Brunello di Montalcino 2009

Snoothrank:

I was expecting more but it was satisfying. Plenty of red berry fruit, tannins, acidity, spice and herbal tones. There was a slight barnyard funk to this that needs 45 mins. of decanting. 88 points - Drink now - Paul Read More

Wine review by rckr1951
February 2017

Lisini Brunello di Montalcino 2009

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by finney
January 2017

The CFO is out of town so I had to do something with my time, what better way ... Vine Pinot Noir2011 Mocali Brunello di Montalcino Vigna delle Raunate2014 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Campo de Borja Veraton2015 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre2010 Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva (x2)2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu2014 Tablas Creek Roussanne (x Read More

Forum post in the topic What have you bought lately?
December 2016

That Meiomi Pinot Noir is something to be avoided at all cost; an assessment I ... red wine, a 2009 Il Viltro Brunello di Montalcino which was very good. Rick showed me some of his prized wines, like the 1982 and 1985 Barolos, plus a 1999 Chateau Lafite Rothschild! He didn't open those of cours Read More

Forum post in the topic Weekday Wines - Post Pictures...
December 2016

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Manachiara 2011

Snoothrank:

a bit too spicy for me... Read More

Wine review by Dennis Lim
December 2016

Brunello di Montalcino. Tenute Silvio Nardi 2011

Snoothrank:

Elegant earthy minerality and baking spice aromas with raspberry, cherry and strawberry fruit notes on the nose. This has a smooth texture on entry but finds a fair bit of acidity and gritty tannic structure towards the mid palate, adding depth of flavor from the complex floral and fruit forward cherry and mixed berry notes. Full and rich throu... Read More

Wine review by Snooth Editorial
November 2016

Do you have muleys over there or is that a behemoth black or whitetail? Guessing a male? How old, and how many points? Tough or tender?Would tend to want to eat tender venison ribs like they were lamb (and wine them accordingly). The tough ones (old does or a gnarly ancient buck, etc.), cooked till meat falls off the bone, Q style.Any number of ... Read More

Forum post in the topic I'm going to need a bigger...
November 2016

EM - I downloaded the order form and passed it on to my spousal unit. ... list ... ... list and selected a 2011 Brunello di Montalcino, as we enjoyed a bottle from this same region (different winery) last Saturday with our friends Rick & Debbie. The wine was very nice, and paired well with our salad, my beef dish and yes, even Sandra's seafoo... Read More

Forum post in the topic Weekend Wines - Post Pictures...
Jul 27, 2011

Visited Tuscany the other week (stayed the lovely little village of Campagnatico) and tried the wines from Bolgheri, Montecucco, Morellino de Scansano, Montepulciano and of course Montalcino. Favourites where the Moris farms IGT wine Avvoltore, the Montecucco Riserva from Villa Patrizia and Pieve Vecchia Chorum . In Montalcino the Enotecas an...

Comment by 189779PBK 189779
Oct 12, 2010

Visiting for the first time in January. Suggestions of where to visit? Staying in Florence for two weeks!

Comment by 609606shannonpeter 609606
Aug 7, 2010

Can someone tell me how much a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino 1964 is worth? (Castiglione del Bosco) and Brunello di Montalcino 1979 (Val di suga) Thank you, Kristina

Comment by 549780Kristina427 549780
May 24, 2010

The Bonacchi 2003 Brunello di Montalcino at Trader Joes for 19.99 is worth the price. We brought back several bottles of more expensive Brunello from the region and while this wine does not compare with those, it is a lovely addition to a steak dinner or antipasto platter. For the price you can afford to share with friends and not break the ba...

Comment by 486231YM 486231

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