March
3, 2007
Part
II: Brunello di Montalcino: The Riservas
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
Technically, "riserva," written across a label, means
that a wine has been aged an extra year. The word,
combined with a hefty price tag, also welcomes its
reader to assume that the drink is far superior to the
producer's regular bottling-that it's exclusive, hard-to-
find, remarkable. Exclusive? Yes. Hard to find? Could
be. Remarkable? Not necessarily.
As with most things in the increasingly complicated
world of wine, a riserva is not always what it seems.
Indeed, making a riserva presents a financial problem
for many producers because its presence takes up
valuable cellar space. Most prefer to place their bets
on special bottlings, cellar selections, or single-
vineyard bottlings, all of which sell for more than a
normale but go on the market at the same time.
Those who do choose to conquer the riserva—in
Montalcino, only a few producers out of a total 230—are then faced with additional conundrums. How, for
example, do you make sure that your customer keeps
coming back? How can you garner a high score for
your wine, something that will send people straight to
the store? How do you lessen the risks that come
along with this already risky endeavor?
Producers take two approaches to their riservas. The
majority ferment all the juice from one harvest and put
it in barrels. A few months later, they taste from their
barrels. Then they select and set aside the best batches, which constitute the
riservas. Of course, this presents the vintner with a new issue: A riserva is
expected to be very unlike the normale, but how do you make that
happen when the two are, essentially, the exact same
stuff, treated the exact same way? An extra year in
barrel isn't necessarily going to do the trick. So Italian
producers follow the lead of popular producers all
over the world and start dumping additives into the
wine. By doing so, they can create a drink that's
definitely different. If you're not looking too hard, you'll
see viscosity, color, concentration, extract. You'll see a
nearly flawless product. You'll see that the wine, so
well-constructed, hooked itself a "Wine of The Year"
from your leading industry publication. If you dig a little
deeper, though, a couple of facts become clear: The
wine, perfect as it may be, doesn't have a smidgen of
complexity. Worse, having been blanketed by
chemicals, it lacks identity.
Today, I am offering Brunello riservas (along with a few special bottlings),
most of which are made by the second type of producer. These guys don't take
the easy way out. They separate a portion of their harvest from the get-go.
They treat it according to its needs. They might even alter the entire process
to fit the grapes' individual character, changing their yeasts, their wood,
their fermentation times. These producers take time
and take risks because they recognize that while
practically anybody with enough technology, enough
information, and enough cash, can make a 99-point wine,
practically nobody can make a 99-point wine that
tastes like the land from which it came. The selection below is comprised of
just-released riservas from the strong 2001 vintage, all of which contain the
essence of Tuscany.
My best,
Sergio Esposito
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Little Known, Yet Historic
Tenuta di Sesta
[TAY-noo-tah dee SES-tah]
Commercial wine production at Tenuta di
Sesta
commenced under Giuseppe Ciacci
(the Ciacci family came into ownership of
the estate
in 1850) only in 1966;
however, this proved a most felicitous
beginning, as
the year in question
marked the inception of Brunello’s
recognition as a DOC. Thus, as the
new quality-designated wine was produced
exclusively by a mere dozen, Sesta
is recognized as one of
Montalcino’s historic
properties.
As is appropriate for one with such a
distinguished
reputation, Tenuta
di Sesta operates a rigorous
qualitative protocol,
the hallmark of
which is an ongoing analytical
treatment of clonal
selection. This practice
was utilized, in particular, to
identify those clones
that demonstrated
premier quality or offered significant
historical
import. Overall standards
of quality are ensured through regular
assessments of vine and vineyard
performance. Of particular note is
Sesta’s
experimental vineyard,
dedicated to maintaining its
terroir’s
distinctive persona.
While modern practices are utilized, the
estate
adheres to tradition in
its employment of Slavonian oak aging;
the Brunello
Riserva’s aging
regimen extends over a 48-month period,
followed
by an additional six months
of bottle age prior to release. It is a
wine of
considerable refinement,
exhibiting a compelling equilibrium between
restraint and concentration.
Tenuta di Sesta 2001
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $74.95*
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
A Montalcino Original
Conti Costanti
[KOHN-tee cohs-TAHN-ti]
This is one of Montalcino’s historic
estates,
realizing several landmark
contributions over the course of its
career. In fact,
the estate’s
viticultural history emerged in incipient
form in the
16th century, with
its preeminent and fundamental focus on
Brunello
taking shape in the late
1800s. In 1870, Tito Costanti, a
prominent figure in
Brunello’s early
history, presented two bottles of
Brunello—a
name coined by Costanti
and his contemporaries—at the
Exhibition of
the Province of Siena.
It is of significance to note that the
composition of
these wines ostensibly
represented the first Brunello and Rosso
pair, as
each realized the respective
aging periods currently required of each.
The commercial production of Costanti
Brunello
commenced in the 1970s with
Conte Emilio (though estate bottling was
first
practiced nearly a decade
earlier), who built upon his
ancestors’ labor
and study of the land.
The estate’s holdings comprise 25
hectares, 12 of which are dedicated
to vines and represent two vineyard
sources—Casottino and Calbello,
the latter of which is situated in the
esteemed
Montosoli site. Costanti
is currently overseen by Andrea Costanti,
who
assumed direction of the estate
in 1983. Together with consultant
Vittorio Fiore, the
estate has become known
for crafting limited-production wines of
impeccable
breeding, a quality that
is naturally ensured by the vineyards’
altitudes, which range from
310 to 400 meters above sea level.
Although the wines have evidenced a more
relaxed
nature in recent years,
evidencing a certain admission of
modernity, they
are still endowed with
a structure that maintains their
traditional focus and
ensures longevity. The Riserva ages for a
period of 36
months in cask, a period that is divided equally
between French tonneaux and Slavonian
barrels; bottle maturation of a year's length
follows.
Costanti 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $95.70*
Additional Wines from Costanti:
Costanti 1990 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $245.00
Costanti 1982 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 24.90*
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
Classic Capanna
Capanna
[Cah-PAHN-nah]
Established in 1957 by the Cencioni family,
Capanna is recognized for making
a substantive contribution to
Montalcino’s
early efforts for international
recognition. Capanna honors this
heritage in its
stylistic orientation,
which is informed by a traditionalist
paradigm.
Thus, while current owner
Benito Cencioni’s sons, Patrizio and
Francesco, have introduced a
modern dimension, this is primarily
exercised
within an experimental context.
Such a highly contained practice preserves
Capanna’s defining values.
In fact, the estate is considered to
constitute a
standard bearer for those
seeking to preserve and safeguard
Montalcino’s original conception
of Brunello.
The Riserva bottling is aged for four years in
Slavonian oak casks, followed
by bottle maturation prior to release.
Its formidable
structure inherently
conveys the wine’s capacity for
long-term
aging, marking its development
through increased complexity.
Capanna 2001 Brunello
di Montalcino Riserva $72.90*
Capanna 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $159.90 (1.5L)*
Capanna 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $229.90 (3.0L)*
Additional Wines from Capanna:
Capanna 2001 Brunello
di Montalcino $49.50
Capanna 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $99.95 (1.5L)
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
Model Montalcino
Canalicchio di Sopra
[Cahn-a-lee-KEE-oh dee SOH-prah]
Brunello’s evocation of place has been
obscured by productions that
are disturbingly out of touch with
Montalcino terroir,
privileging a style
that is more about a grasp of
international appeal
than regional expression.
Founded in the sixties by Primo Pacenti,
Canalicchio di Sopra represented
a substantive risk, as Pacenti, a peasant
farmer up
until the abolition of
the sharecropping system, possessed
little in the
way of security.
Canalicchio di Sopra remains
family-owned, and
Pacenti has demonstrated remarkable
talent in responding to and validating
both technical
and philosophical viticultural
changes without unduly sacrificing the
traditional
concept of a Brunello.
In fact, the Brunellos of the estate
largely reflect the
wine’s historical
paradigm, a character derived, in part,
through cask
aging, which is the
preferred medium for the maturation of
both the
Riserva and Normale bottlings.
The Riserva bottling is aged in Slavonian
oak for a
period of 4 years, followed
by an additional year of bottle
maturation.
Canalicchio di Sopra 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $74.90*
Additional Wines from Canalicchio di
Sopra:
Canalicchio di Sopra 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $59.95
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
Artisanal Brunello
Caprili
[Cah-PREE-lee]
The Caprili winery has been family-owned
since its
inception in 1965, maintaining
its commitment to small-scale, artisanal
production. Founded by Alfo Bartolommei,
Caprili is now under the direction of
Bartolommei’s children, Paolo,
Manuele, and Paola. Situated in the
southwestern
area of Montalcino—within
proximity to the renowned estates of
Soldera and
Santa Restituta—Caprili
comprises 12.5 hectares, 11.5 of which are
planted to Sangiovese Grosso.
The remainder features three white
grapes—Trebbiano, Malvasia, and
Moscadello. The first two are provided
for under the
Sant’Antimo
DOC, while the third is covered by the
Brunello
designation.
Caprili reinforces the value of a
traditional protocol
in its aging practices
(for both the Normale and Riserva), as it
is wedded
exclusively to Slavonian
oak, regarding it as the sole medium for the
expression of Sangiovese’s
true character. The exercise of tradition
is also
prominent in the maceration
period, which may extend as long as 30 days.
Despite this definitive preference
for tradition, the Caprili Riserva
delivers a
considerable fruit presence,
placing it in striking contrast to a wine
such as the
Altesino. According
to the estate, recent vintages of Caprili
are best
experienced following
a five- to six-hour period of aeration.
Caprili 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $57.79*
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
Hallmark Elegance
Altesino
[Ahl-teh-zee-noh]
While many producers have compromised
Montalcino’s identity by employing
imprudent modernization, Altesino has
pursued the
integration of techniques
and philosophies that have enhanced the
zone’s production. In 1979, Altesino
became one of the first to age its wines in
French
barrique, a medium
that significantly modified oak’s
influence,
allowing the wine to exhibit
a more prominent fruit character. It also
introduced
the concept of cru (a
single-vineyard wine) through its Montosoli
Brunello,
which remains the estate’s
most lauded offering and one of the
region’s
standard bearers. Altesino
further conveyed its role as innovator by
crafting IGT
bottlings that included
the use of international varietals. The estate
comprises approximately 64 hectares,
27 of which are dedicated to vines and
divided into
three vineyards—Altesino,
La Velona, and Montosoli.
The maceration period for the Altesino Riserva
spans a moderately lengthy timeframe
of 15 days; tradition is privileged in the
wine’s
aging regimen, which
is conducted in Slavonian oak barrels
(ranging from
10 to 20 years of age)
for four and a half years, followed by an
additional six
months of bottle maturation
prior to release. While lean in fruit
expression, the
Altesino is a wine of
demonstrative finesse, exhibited in the
striking
contrast between its filigreed
aromatics and powerful structure. The Altesino
Brunello Normale, aged for a
period of three and a half years in
Slavonian oak,
delivers an elegant expression
of Sangiovese. The Montosoli cru bottling is
darker
and more tannic than both
the Riserva and Normale, yet noted for the
quintessential dynamic it achieves
between power and grace.
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $99.90*
Additional Wines from Altesino:
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino ‘Montosoli’ $79.95
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.95
Altesino 1983 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $160.00
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
The Cult of Brunello
Salvioni
[Sahl-VEE-oh-nee]
No Riserva Required at Giulio
Salvioni’s La
Cerbaiola [Lah Cher-BAH-ee-yoh-la] estate. Why not?
Why does this eminent name decline to
produce an
expression that represents
the height of form for its fellow masters of
Montalcino? A Riserva would almost
be beside the point, given the exceptional
quality and
intensity that is realized
by Salvioni’s Normale. While
many producers struggle to integrate
traditional and
modern techniques, Salvioni
achieves a seamless integration—a blend
wherein each enhances the other.
Though the grapes receive a traditional
extended
maceration of 25 to 30 days,
they derive from a 3-hectare vineyard in which
Salvioni conducts a rigorous,
modern-inspired regimen of pruning and yield
restriction. The intensity of
the protocol is such that production
realizes a mere
800 cases—an exceedingly
low output. Tradition reasserts its
prerogative in the
aging period, conducted
over a two-year period in Slavonian oak
barrels,
followed by 6 to 8 months
of bottle maturation. While the wine is one
of intense
concentration, the structure
conditions this dense provision, affording
it an
elegant expression.
Salvioni matched his genius with that of
Attilio Pagli,
who has served as
enologist since 1985, the estate’s
initial
vintage. Pagli’s career
commenced at Soldera, where he mentored under
esteemed consultant Giulio Gambelli.
Some discern a likeness between the style
of the two
houses, marked by a seemingly
inexplicable juxtaposition of concentration
and
finesse. While Salvioni ranks
just below Soldera on the list of most
sought-after
Brunellos, Salvioni holds
the top spot in the cult Brunello genre.
Salvioni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Cerbaiola $159.50*
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
Montalcino's Flagship Cru
Tenuta Caparzo
[TAY-noo-tah Cah-PAR-zoh]
Established in the late 1960s, Tenuta
Caparzo is
recognized as one of Montalcino’s
eminent producers. The vineyards, cellars, and
vinification equipment were
established upon the estate’s
inception, but
progressive adaptation has
been pursued under the direction of general
manager Nuccio Turone and consulting
enologist Vittorio Fiore (Conti Costanti).
The estate has defined itself through a
two-fold quest:
identifying the particular
clonal blend of Sangiovese that succeeds in
a variety
of conditions and acquiring
quality-driven sites representing
distinctive terroirs.
The estate’s
holdings include vineyards in the
southwestern area
of Castelgiocondo and the
northeastern area of Montosoli. La Casa
originates
in the latter, a cru bottling
that is recognized as one of
Montalcino’s
foremost historical Brunellos
and serves as Caparzo’s flagship. The
tannic
structure provides for an
extensive aging period—one that will
exceed
three decades effortlessly
and may, given vintage conditions, realize a
prodigious evolution of 50 years,
inviting the enlightening reward of
documenting the
nuances revealed in various
stages. La Casa’s current aging regimen
(instituted in 1995) comprises
12 months in French barriques and 18
months in French oak barrels. The
Normale and Riserva aging protocols are
conducted
in Slavonian and French oak
casks, omitting barrique.
Tenuta Caparzo 2001 Brunello di Montalcino ‘La Casa’ $69.95*
Additional Wines from Tenuta Caparzo:
Tenuta Caparzo 2001
Brunello di Montalcino $39.95
Tenuta Caparzo 1990 Brunello di Montalcino
$279.95
(1.5L)*
Tenuta Caparzo 1998 Brunello di Montalcino ‘La Casa’ $88.00
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
A Classic for the Cellar
Camigliano
[CAH-mee-yanoh]
Founded in 1957 by the Ghezzi family, the
estate’s ambit actually comprises
an entire medieval village, situated in
the eastern
outskirts of the Montalcino
district. Camigliano is one of the
estates credited
with safeguarding Brunello’s
tradition, a distinction it has merited
through the
efforts of its esteemed
consulting enologist, Lorenzo Landi.
Vineyard holdings comprise 91 hectares, 50
of which
are dedicated to the
estate’s Brunello Normale and Brunello
Riserva bottling—Gualto [GHAHL-toh].
The latter, which debuted with the 1998
vintage,
derives from a strict process
of selection, thereby representing each
site’s premier offerings. An
extended maceration period of 21 to 25
days is
followed by a three-year aging
period in Slavonian oak. Prior to
release, the
wine receives an additional
two years’ aging in bottle. The
Gualto is
regarded as a classic example
of Montalcino’s historic persona,
realizing a
long-term maturation
marked by elegance and complexity.
Camigliano 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Gualto $75.59*
Additional Wines from Camigliano:
Camigliano 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $49.98
Camigliano 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $119.98
(1.5L)
Camigliano 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Gualto
$69.00
Camigliano 1998 Brunello di Montalcino Gualto
$82.00
Camigliano 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $160.00 (1.5L)
*Indicates pre-arrival sale
A Rosso Cru
Fuligni
[Foo-lee-nyee]
Established in 1923, Fuligni is presently
co-owned
by Maria Flora Fuligni
and her nephew, Roberto Guerrini
Fuligni. The
estate’s portfolio
comprises Montalcino’s classic
duo—Brunello di Montalcino and
Rosso di Montalcino—in addition to a
Super-Tuscan known as SJ. Fuligni’s
25 acres of vines (the estate comprises
100 acres
in total) are planted
primarily to Sangiovese, with a small
portion
dedicated to Merlot, the
grape that joins Sangiovese in the SJ
bottling.
Roberto and oenologist
Paolo Vagaggini determine the profiles
of the
wines in collaboration, and
their efforts have authored an overall
stylistic
orientation that weds
elements of traditional and modern
viticultural
approaches. The aging process
reflects this integration of schools,
as the wines
are initially placed
in French barriques (to
stabilize the color),
and following color
stabilization, transferred to
traditional botti.
The estate is noted
for being one of the zone’s most
consistent
performers, having realized
consecutive vintages of quality dating
back to
1983.
The Rosso di Montalcino, derived from the
Ginestreto [Jee-NEH-stray-toh] cru, is aged
for a period of 6 to 9 months in a
combination of
barrique and cask, followed
by a short period of additional
maturation in
Slavonian oak.
Fuligni 2004 Rosso di Montalcino 'Ginestreto' $29.95
Additional Wines from Fuligni:
Fuligni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino $64.95
Brunello Samplers
While it may seem that one may grasp the terms
Normale and Riserva intuitively,
those of us residing in the New World suffer undue
exposure to an overly liberal
use of wine terms. Thus, a California label
designating Reserve may
indicate that it is one of the estate’s top
bottles, but beyond this,
it’s hard to say. In Italy, however (and other
European countries), the
language of wine is strict and does not invite multiple
meanings. In the context of Brunello, Riserva denotes
a bottle that is crafted exclusively in vintages that are
deemed of high quality,
derived from the producer’s best grapes, and
aged for a minimum of four
years (in a combination of barrel and bottle). The
Normale, with respect to Brunello, is an annual
production
with a requisite aging period of three years (again,
this involves a combination
of barrel and bottle). As Montalcino takes its time
(it’s not known for
a fast turnaround), producers proffer the affordable
and efficient Rosso di
Montalcino as the “in the meantime”
wine, which is ready to go
with a mere year of prep time. That said, some
producers craft very serious
Rossos that somehow drink like their
superiors. Secure this selection of highly anticipated
Riserva offerings with a pre-arrival six-pack complete
with a detailed regional map of Montalcino.
Brunello Riserva Six-Pack Includes:
Tenuta di Sesta 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva
Conti Costanti 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva
Capanna 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Canalicchio di Sopra 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva
Caprili 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
11x17 IWM Regional Map of Montalcino
2001 Brunello
Riserva Six-Pack...$476.14
This Six-Pack Sampler is available as a pre-arrival
sale.
Though these Riservas are well worth the wait,
our second installment of 2001 Brunellos is not to be
overlooked. This compilation of esteemed Brunellos
brings the collection full circle, and is accompanied
with a regional map of Montalcino.
Collectors and enthusiasts should take particular note
of the ever
consistent and popular Col d'Orcia and Fuligni
bottlings.
2001 Brunello Arrivals Six-Pack (Part 2) Includes:
Silvio Nardi 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
La Poderina 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Castiglion del Bosco 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Col d'Orcia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Fuligni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Camigliano 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
11x17 IWM Regional Map of Montalcino
2001 Brunello Arrivals Six-Pack (Part 2)...$319.77*
For the consummate Brunello enthusiast, we present
the 2001 Brunello tasting case—a complete
offering of all 12 of these distinct Normale
bottlings. This tasting experience is complemented
by a detailed regional map that delineates
the
nuances defining the geographic microclimates of
Montalcino and their respective translations in the
glass. This articulate and fascinating breakdown is
best experienced when tasting through a selection of
the wines. Provide your palate with a consummate
education in Brunello, as you experience both classic
and modern interpretations of Brunello and refine your
ability to identify the signatures of individual zones in
the region.
2001 Brunello Arrivals Tasting Case
Includes:
Altesino 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Pieri Agostina 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Canalicchio di Sopra 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
La Fuga 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
La Torre 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Caparzo 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Silvio Nardi 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
La Poderina 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Castiglion del Bosco 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Col d'Orcia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Fuligni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
Camigliano 2001 Brunello di Montalcino
11x17 IWM Regional Map of Montalcino
2001
Brunello Arrivals Tasting Case (12)...$600.81*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
IWM's New Saturday Tasting Series
Studio Regionale: Saturday Tastings
Series
Saturday tastings at IWM are back with an
entirely new
format. The Studio Regionale tasting series
is the
latest addition to IWM's event portfolio, the
signature
elements of which are private wine tastings
conducted
in the Studio del Gusto and Vintage Room. Each
tasting will provide guided exploration of
one region or
style of wine, delineating the grapes,
producers, and
history informing the particular area in
question.
Tasting Details and Format
Conducted between the hours of 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.,
tastings are led by an IWM sommelier who presents a
regional overview and discusses six wines in context.
Participants receive:
- Tasting Booklet that includes IWM's proprietary
regional and producer notes and recipe
- Crystal tasting glass to keep following the tasting
- Sampling of regional foods prepared by IWM chefs
paired with each wine tasted
Seminar Schedule:
March 17: The Veneto: Amarone to
Prosecco
March 24: Taste of Piemonte
March 31: Campania & Basilicata: Ancient
Glory
April 7: Italian Sparklers & Dessert Wines
If you are interested in learning more about IWM's new
Studio Regionale Saturday Tasting Series, or to make
a reservation via phone, contact Michann Thompson
at 212.473.2323 x106. |
