Altesino Winemaker Dinner

Another excellent line up from Brad and company -- thank you! The older wines impressed with their structure, while the younger wines showcased the more volatile aromatics. My favorite wines probably were the extracted '97 Montosoli, followed by the graceful '88 Montosoli Riserva and the playful '10 Montosoli. Interesting to note the prominent feral aromatics that are quite vivid in the more recent Altesino wines ('08 onward) and that I often associate with some Piedmont Barbaresco and Barolo producers such as La Spinetta or Ratti.

• 2012 Altesino Rosso di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino

  Coiled, tight wine but with a nice mineral lift. Hint of mint on the nose. Flavor of dark strawberry, wood. A good wine to enjoy in a few years; not a 'baby brunello' though.

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• 2008 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A deeply perfumed an rich nose -- abundantly obvious next to the '12 Rosso. Rich, supple and expansive mouth feel. Darker and somewhat masculine wine, it can be enjoyed now. Hint of nutmeg, wood, cat fur aromatics. Some tannins are present, but seemingly better integrated with wood than in a number of older wines tasted tonight.

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• 2010 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A bright wine with some bing cherry and musk aromatics. On the palate, the soft yet playful, mineral feel evokes truffles, and “Francia” like spiciness. Elegant and playful wine, with some green tannins in the finish.

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• 2008 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Sweeter, more candied taste than a regular '08, somewhat generic, but hinting at potential for more complexity in the future. More rich and luxurious feel than ’08, with a dominant flavor of a soaked barrel, and red fruit, followed by a tinge of pine needle aromatics.

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• 2010 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Young and brash wine, with a profile of bright red fruits, pomegranate. Feral aromatics are front and center here. The wine is supple, dancing on the palate, showing hazelnuts, succulent berries. Plenty of length and minerality here; playful but too tannic to fully enjoy now.

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• 1993 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Pencil shavings on the nose. The fruit is fully melded, showing mostly cranberry like flavors, reminiscent of an aged Barolo. The wines is still in balance, but the fruit is fully advanced and beginning to dry out. The tannins are still noticeable and are unlikely to fully integrate. Drink now.

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• 1988 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Bordeaux-like aromatics of cedar, plum, aged red fruit. The fruilt is this '88 Montosoli Riserva is darker and more smoky than that of ’93 Montosoli but less rish when compared to '97 Montosoli. Very pretty aromatic nose of an aged, jammy cab. Excellent now. Still tannic and evolving.

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• 1997 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A velvet texture and a rich, pungent dark fruit core, earth, mulberry, hint of bacon, all wrapped in the end in a coat of bell pepper tannins. The nose is complex, showing plummy blue fruit, underbrush, meaty aromatics. The fruit is ripe and fat. Give a few more years for the tannins to better integrate, and this wine will truly sing.

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• 2006 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  A bright wine, but more monolithic now than ’97, ’88, or even '10. More burgundy like, leaner in the mouth, and a bit close now. Wait.

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• 2007 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Matches and strawberry jam nose; soft and approachable in the mouth. Volcanic soil, smoky fruit aromatics; less focused and more generic in style, yet supple, with a predominant notes of strawberry compote and sour red fruits. Feels a little over-ripe.

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