June   2004

It is the combination of this specific clone, the agreeable climate, the low yield guidelines set by the Consorzio (the regional governing body, and the long aging requirements (four years, with at least two in oak barrels) that contribute to great Brunello.

As an elite wine, Brunello deserves special attention while aging and when poured. Like all great aged wines, it is often a bit hard and unsociable in its youth. However, Brunello becomes refined and harmonious with time, taking on a velvety texture. Those with the discipline to restrain themselves from uncorking these wines too early are advised to keep their bottles in the cellar - away from light, humidity, and extraneous smells. Sudden changes in temperature must also be avoided, and bottles should not be moved or shaken. When removing the bottle from storage, take care not to shake the bottle as sediment will have collected on its bottom side. Stand the bottle upright for one or two days in a cool place before decanting and serving.
 

Brunello di Montalcino in the Kitchen:

What should tourists venturing up the hills of Montalcino, intent on tasting Brunello and other local wines, expect to taste from the kitchen? Above all, dishes made in the Tuscan tradition. Next to the canapés of chopped liver and spleen or mushrooms appear finocchiata (a salame containing fennel seeds), dried pork and wild-boar sausages, raw ham, and salame. These antipasti pair well with Rosso di Montalcino and other, lighter wines from the area. Roast meats, salmi (a rich wine sauce, usually with game), and cheeses also pair well with the wines of Montalcino. Of course, Brunello is wonderful all by itself.
 

IWM Featured Book: Brunello and other wines of Montalcino:

Author Emanuele Pellucci visited Montalcino a quarter of a century ago, curious to become better acquainted with the environment where the glorious Brunello originates. What made this grape Italy's crown jewel? Who isolated this Sangiovese clone? What gives the grape its legendary longevity? Pellucci, having written about Brunello several times during the past 25 years, is now offering the reader an opportunity to see up close the vine growing/wine producing reality of Montalcino.
 

Sergio's Take On 1999 Brunello...

Having had the opportunity to visit Montalcino well over thirty times in my life I can confidently say that Montalcino is a place blessed, like very few others, with the natural raw elements needed to make a great wine. This is so because they have the four basic essentials needed to achieve greatness: soil, climate, altitude and grape variety. In other words they have the perfect terroir or ambiente for Tuscany’s noble grape Sangiovese. Why then I ask myself do so many producers make so many mediocre wines.

In the last four years I’ve had at least nine occasions to taste the wines of the ’99 vintage, a very good vintage which should have produced many great wines. In May of this year, at the Montalcino Consortium, I had my final opportunity to taste over 120 Brunelli, in one afternoon, before deciding which to buy. My decision was an easy one, but difficult for me to explain.

After much thought, I’ve decided to work with only a handful of producers out of the 220 or so there. The wines offered below, along with a few more that will be made available in the coming weeks, I believe to be the best from the ’99 vintage. Since December of 2003 our phones have been ringing off the hook with requests of a listing of ’99 Brunelli. My associates here have constantly harassed me to put together this offer, but sadly I can’t offer you more wines in good conscience because true quality is lacking in most of the wines which I have tasted.

There are many problems affecting the quality of Montalcino wines. To name a few, blending is happening at criminal rates. There are experiments with different wood vessels and fermentations that lead to odd wines, more and more “non wine people” are buying estates, and new plantings in untraditional inferior plots are producing mediocre grapes. But to me the wines produced there can be delicious and this becomes a double-edge sword. Delicious is a quality inherent in many Italian wines, making them enjoyable to many consumers. And yes, they are delicious but also they are often simple, likeable, and easy to understand, thus the American press loves them as safe wines to score highly because the masses “get them”.

This would be tremendous if not for the fact that most Brunelli retail in the $70.00 price range. At this investment level you need to have complexity, balance, and massive structure while maintaining that delicious quality. The wines below I believe have this at many different levels and price points, but most wines which you’ll find on the market, unfortunately do not. Montalcino grew much too fast and there are way too many producers who don’t have the “know how” nor trust the potential of  Sangiovese. This I believe will change in years to come. The example set by Gianfranco Soldera in the ‘90’s, making outstanding wines in the poorest of vintages like ’91 and 94, has already motivated some and will eventually push the rest and I will then proudly provide a long list of Brunelli to offer. For now, I stand behind the following wines.

Who is Sergio Esposito and the Italian Wine Merchant?