February
15, 2006
2001
Brunello di Montalcino
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
In the late 1990s while on a trip through Toscana with three
wine buyers, I settled for a few nights at Albergo al Brunello
di Montalcino, a comfortable three- star hotel just south
of the town. The hotel owner, using his hand-selected wine
list full of hard-to-get old gems as a lure, invited us to
dinner in his restaurant.
That night in an empty dining room, we drank vintage after
vintage of Soldera, Biondi-Santi, and Il Poggione with our
slabs of salami, pinci with oil, garlic and breadcrumbs, and
a thick stew of wild boar.
As the night went on, the owner admitted that he was curious:
why were we ordering so very many different bottles? In the
States, we told him, there are hardly any old vintages of
Brunello that have been stored correctly, so we were doing
a bit of research.
“Then I have the perfect wine for you,” he announced,
jumping up from the table and disappearing into the cellar.
He returned with a full decanter and started to pour. We each
took a sip of the rich ruby red wine.
“What do you think?” our host asked eagerly. “It’s
only ten years old, you know.”
The wine was impressively rustic with a strong presence, obviously
well crafted and pure. In a quick attempt to avert the self-inflicted
embarrassment that often accompanies blind tastings, I asked
for the name of the wine.
“It’s a Rosso di Montalcino from Baricci,”
he said.
We all looked at each other, simultaneously baffled and impressed.
“A Rosso?” I marveled. “And who is Baricci?”
“Nello Baricci.”
After tasting a few more vintages of Baricci, I was desperate
to meet the man and get some of his products.
“Where’s this winery located?” I asked.
“He’ll never sell you any wine,” our new
friend said dismissively. “He makes barely enough for
his clients in Italy, and then he sells a few bottles to Germany.
That’s all.”
Since that night, I’ve been on a constant quest to buy
more Baricci—but I can never manage to get enough to
keep myself sated, much less my clients. I drink them at my
table and keep a few precious bottles tucked away at home,
but buying in any kind of bulk has proven impossible. He simply
doesn't make enough to go around.
Though these wines have almost never been available in the
States, this year I managed through due diligence and patience
to purchase enough Baricci to sell. I feel so strongly about
Baricci’s Rosso that it will be the only Rosso included
with this offer.
The focus of today's Brunello offer is the 2001 vintage. After
several years spent tasting the '01s from barrel to bottle
and one final trip to Montalcino last month that involved
marathon tastings of the last hundred or so wines for my final
selection, I can unequivocally say that the vintage produced
great, sturdy wines with huge personalities and spirit, full
of complexities that underline the great deliciousness of
Sangiovese without overwhelming it.
I’ve listed below my picks for the best wines from the
vintage (excluding a handful that aren’t yet available).
These wines—which are the opposite of those that contemporary
judges misguidedly score favorably for their blending techniques—represent
the essence of authentic Montalcino.
For more specific questions or to make a purchase, please
contact Perry
Porricelli at 212.473.2323.
My best,
Sergio Esposito
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The Vineyards of Montalcino
The Montalcino production zone can be broken into a range
of subzones. Within each there are variations in altitude,
soil composition, and weather patterns. In fact, there are
nine subzones and the Consorzio lists more than 24 distinct
microclimates in the area, which can confuse even the educated
consumer. To make it more manageable we have divided the region
into three territories—central, north, and south—that
provide a general guide to Brunello styles.
The differences in altitude and exposition throughout the
zone are a major factor in wine style since they play a substantial
role in the vegetal cycle of the vines. Compared to the Chianti
zone that is its neighbor to the north, Montalcino enjoys
a predominantly Mediterranean climate as well as high altitudes
that cool the grapes and help prevent disease. To understand
the topography of the region, we recommend looking at Montalcino
as an inverted cone with its peak just south of the town of
Montalcino, which divides the square into four isosceles triangles
with the center forming the apex of the cone). From the center,
the slopes generally descend outward across the region.
Due to high altitudes, evening temperature drops and cooling
winds sustain a slower cycle in vineyards like Il Greppo at
Biondi Santi (480m+ above sea level) than is found in lower
altitudes such as the southwestern site of Col d'Orcia (115-300m
above sea level), where sandier soils and the lower elevation
both promote a more advanced cycle. This variation is captured
by juxtaposing these two wines from the same vintage: you
will experience a denser, low acid, approachable wine in the
Col d'Orcia, for instance, while the less developed Biondi
Santi is marked by the structured tannins and high acidity
that are ideal for longevity. Adding a third wine to the comparison
enhances this hypothesis: Il Poggione (200-400m) combines
the finesse of Biondi Santi and the approachability of Col
d'Orcia. In fact, if you are looking for a balance between
finesse and approachability, we recommend the elegant and
structured wines of Il Poggione, Cerbaiona, and Poggio di
Sotto, all of which are classically made Brunello.
Click
to view the map of Montalcino.
High Altitude Delivers Wines
of Structure
Brunello begins around the hilltop town of Montalcino. This
central subzone (also known as Montalcino), along with La
Croce just below it and Tavernelle to the west, forms the
traditional heartland of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.
These are among the most elevated zones, where the altitudes
(indicated next to certain estates on the
map) provide the perfect habitat for more perfumed and
elegant wines of structure and longevity, as do the southern
and eastern exposure and the producers' vinification technique.
These characteristics are enhanced in many of the top wines
because producers intentionally balance ample but mature tannins
with elevated acidity. The Tuscan treasures from the central
area include the historic estates of Biondi-Santi
(480m), Fattoria dei Barbi, Conti Costanti, and Fuligni as
well as more recent efforts from Il
Palazzone and Cerbaiona. Continuing toward Tavernelle,
you find the classic Brunellos from Poggio Antico (540m),
Case
Basse di Soldera, Pieve
Santa Restituta, and Il Poggiolo (520m). While the 2001
from Biondi Santi is destined to become a cellar trophy, the
more concentrated, approachable Cerbaiona is also among the
highlights of the vintage. In addition to these outstanding
wines, we look forward to Soldera's late release of the Case
Basse 2001; in the meantime we are offering several past vintages
of this top estate's Brunello normale and riserva.
Central Montalcino's Long-Lived Brunellos
Biondi-Santi
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $119.95
Cerbaiona
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $94.95
Fuligni
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $64.95
Poggio
Antico 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.98
All wines listed above are future arrivals
Past Vintages of Case Basse di Soldera
Case
Basse di Soldera 1999 Brunello $198.00
Case
Basse di Soldera 1999 Brunello Riserva $247.50
Case
Basse di Soldera 1998 Brunello Riserva $198.00
Case
Basse di Soldera 1981 Brunello $289.00
All bottles are 750ml
Click
for Olympic Wines of Torino!
Where
Ripeness Meets Structure
North of the Montalcino subzone the high elevation of the
central region begins to taper and form the northern territory,
which is made up of Canalicchio, Pianelli, and Montosoli (and
also includes the western area of Camigliano for this exercise).
These subzones have a diminished share in the warm, dry Mediterranean
climate and high altitude of their neighbors to the south,
and the slight differences in temperature, humidity, and elevation
breed wines of both ripeness and structure. The minimized
exposure to cooling winds also contributes to the ripeness
of wines from this area. This is epitomized by the wines of
Capanna and Altesino's
Montosoli cru, which typically combine serious aromas and
elegance with power and fruit. Further west, the wine of Silvio
Nardi expresses elegance and fruit with slightly less acidity
at a price that places it among IWM's best values. Another
standout from the vintage is the wine of Baricci, which is
rarely available in this country but offers sophistication
in both the Brunello and the Rosso (perhaps the most impressive
Rosso of 2004). Continue the exploration with the
map and the recommended wines below.
Northern Montalcino's Balance
Altesino
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.95
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino ‘Montosoli’
$79.95
Baricci
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $48.50
Canalicchio
di Sopra 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $59.95
Capanna
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.50
Caparzo
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $39.95
Castiglion
del Bosco 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.99
Donatella
Cinelli Colombini 2001 Brunello $46.95
D.
Cinelli Colombini 2001 Brunello Prime Donne $55.95
Nardi
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.95
Tenuta
La Fuga 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $59.95
Rosso di Montalcino 2004 Recommendation
Baricci
2004 Rosso di Montalcino $29.50
All wines listed above are future arrivals
All bottles are 750ml
Click
for more recent offers from IWM.
Approachability
on the Lower Slopes
The southern region, like the others, features dramatic shifts
in altitude from estate to estate. But the warmer climate
shows through in all the wines. The vineyards that fan out
eastward from Tavernelle into Sant'Angelo are exposed to a
more unrestricted Mediterranean climate than the rest of Montalcino,
with sandier soils, less wind, and lower altitude (similar
to the more southerly exposed Maremma zone). The effects can
also be seen in other crops: the olives from this region will
turn black while olives found on Il Greppo are still green.
And as with the olives, the climate contributes to a denser,
less acidic, fruitier side of Brunello. The vineyards that
spread west into Castelnuovo dell'Abate deliver similar characteristics.
However, some estates, like Camigliano and Il
Poggione (200-400m), have elevated vineyards with southern
and western exposures that create potent wines with a spectacular
combination of structure and ripeness. These are two must-have
Brunellos from 2001.
The South's Approachability and Lower Slopes
Agostina
Pieri 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $54.95
Camigliano
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.98
Caprili
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $39.99
Col
d’Orcia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.95
Il
Poggione 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $47.93
La
Poderina 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $54.95
Lisini
2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.95
All wines listed above are future arrivals
All bottles are 750ml
Click
for more approachable Brunello.
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