Young Brunello di Montalcino
Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 12:54 pm
Our cellarmaster decided that our palate (and nose) needed some education. He had been hoarding some Brunellos and got us to blind test a number of youngish (all from the great '07 vintage, to which RP gave a series of 94-95 score). Here was the lineup:
1) Agostina Pieri BdM
2) Casanova di Nieri BdM Tenuta Nova
3) Fuligni BdM
4) Gianni Brunelli le Chiuse di Sotto BdM
5) Lusini BdM
6) San Felici BdM Campogiovanni
7) Siro Pacenti BdM
Talenti BdM
The DOCG of BdM came into prominence in the early '70 due to the well known Biondi-Santi from the special brown Sangiovese grape grown on special galesto (shaly clay) soil around the hills of Montalcino. The rest of the soil is mostly sandy clay combined with limestone. The galestro tends to deliver steelier wine with deeper acidity than the rest, but it would take a very educated palate to determine the difference!
Unfortunately we started with the Fuligni and the Talenti being corked in two separate tables, so some of us did not have the chance to taste either one of them (damn corks). I discovered later that the Fuligni and the Siro Pacenti vineyards are on galesto soil.
Young BdM looked dark red and bright. They exhibited nose of cherry (mixture of black and red), mushrooms, earth and lots of spice (anise, licorice). Tasting became a bit difficult for. It seemed that I got tons of good fruit first, then a huge wall of tannins and spice and for the finish, a variation of bright fruit or dark fruit. So trying to find the steeliest palate is a lost cause for me. The best wine for me was the Agostina for that bright finish that saved my palate. For most tasters they did enjoy the Casanova.
The wines were in the range of $50-$100, certainly nowhere near a Biondi-Santi. They however needed (no, demanded) a plateful of spaghetti and tomato to soften up the spices and tannins. So this format of blind tasting BdM wines was a chore for me. Perhaps when we get to taste the older BdM, we might be into something different.
Cheers...Dac.
1) Agostina Pieri BdM
2) Casanova di Nieri BdM Tenuta Nova
3) Fuligni BdM
4) Gianni Brunelli le Chiuse di Sotto BdM
5) Lusini BdM
6) San Felici BdM Campogiovanni
7) Siro Pacenti BdM
Talenti BdMThe DOCG of BdM came into prominence in the early '70 due to the well known Biondi-Santi from the special brown Sangiovese grape grown on special galesto (shaly clay) soil around the hills of Montalcino. The rest of the soil is mostly sandy clay combined with limestone. The galestro tends to deliver steelier wine with deeper acidity than the rest, but it would take a very educated palate to determine the difference!
Unfortunately we started with the Fuligni and the Talenti being corked in two separate tables, so some of us did not have the chance to taste either one of them (damn corks). I discovered later that the Fuligni and the Siro Pacenti vineyards are on galesto soil.
Young BdM looked dark red and bright. They exhibited nose of cherry (mixture of black and red), mushrooms, earth and lots of spice (anise, licorice). Tasting became a bit difficult for. It seemed that I got tons of good fruit first, then a huge wall of tannins and spice and for the finish, a variation of bright fruit or dark fruit. So trying to find the steeliest palate is a lost cause for me. The best wine for me was the Agostina for that bright finish that saved my palate. For most tasters they did enjoy the Casanova.
The wines were in the range of $50-$100, certainly nowhere near a Biondi-Santi. They however needed (no, demanded) a plateful of spaghetti and tomato to soften up the spices and tannins. So this format of blind tasting BdM wines was a chore for me. Perhaps when we get to taste the older BdM, we might be into something different.
Cheers...Dac.