Montalcino trip / Italian offline 2009

Again a great trip to this beautiful DOCG. The landscape, the people, the food and the wines are always worth the travel.
This time the trip included a WS forum offline. It was a memorable event with great people, excellent food and some of the best wines I ever tasted.

At:
Il Grappolo blu
Osteria Osticcio
Giardino
Il Giglio

• 1997 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Vigna di Pianrosso 97 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/14/2009)

  Popped and poured at Il Grappolo blu in Montalcino courtesy of a very generous Longboarder. Consumed over 3 hours.
  
  Deep ruby colour. Full aromas of ripe black fruit, red fruit, tobacco and spices that keep evolving in the glass. From fresh and high-toned to dark and brooding. following trough full bodied with fresh acidity, chewyy-smooth tannins, and lots of ripe fruit. A long and balanced finish. Facinating wine with full and delicate aroma's. Its fascinating to observe them evolving in the glass. The last few sips (after about 3 hours) where fading a bit, but there still seems to be lots of structure left. Drink now -2015.
  
  After my first encounter in 2007 the memory of this wine has grown to mythical proportions in my mind. Tonight that myth was proven to be completely justified. This is an awesome wine.

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• 2004 Querce Bettina Brunello di Montalcino 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Drinking at Giardino / popped and poured.
  Typical 'Brunello' light ruby. Impressive aromas of black fruit and berries, hints of leather and mint evolving in the glass. Following trough full bodied, balanced and fresh with layered silky tannins (the term dusty tannins was used by LB while drinking this, have to remember that term!). Long and fresh finish. This bottle was completely in line with the one we tasted a day before. Lots of structure to age, but SO seductive now!

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• 1999 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Spuntali 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/14/2009)

  Dark ruby colour. Full aromas of ripe black fruit and leather with hints of anise(?). Full bodied with very chewy tannins and dark fruit. Medium-long finish. Could still use a lot of time, not sure if the tannins will easy down though. Drink 2014 - 2020.

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Visits to Sesta di Sopra and Casanova di Neri

• 2004 Sesta di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/15/2009)

  In line with my previous notes, and the notes taken during dinner on the 16th.
  Ruby colour. Full aromas of blackberry, cherry (and some blueberry?) with hints of violets and cedar. Following trough full bodied and fresh with lots of fruit and layered, smooth, tannins. Long finish, very balanced, finish.

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• 2007 Sesta di Sopra Rosso di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino

  (5/15/2009)

  Deep ruby colour. Full aromas of blackcurrant and berries, with hints of toast and smoke. Full bodied with chewy tannins and black fruit. Long, smokey, finish. Could use a bit more time to integrate. Drink 2011 - 2015. This '07 is quite different from the previous Rosso from this producer. Its darker (in colour and aromas) and more full bodied.

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• 2006 Sesta di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/15/2009)

  Barrel tasting.
  Lots of black fruit and berries, floral hints and now already cedar tones. Full bodied with serious layered tannins. Very seductive.
  This will be a great Sesta di Sopra Brunello in line with the '99 and '01. I think it will even be better at 95-97 pts.

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• 1958 Gaja Barbaresco 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  (5/15/2009)

  I had this over lunch with the family Bandirola at Sesta di Sopra. There was just a little left from the day before, just a few sips for all of us.
  Pale orange colour. Cherry aromas with some mushrooms, wet earth, cedar and boxwood. Fresh and rounded on the palate with almost completely resolved tannins. Long finish. Still remarkably vivid after 51 years!

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Mostly at Osteria Osticcio and Enoteca Piazza.

• 2004 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Light ruby colour. Full aromas of blackcurrant with some grilled meat and toast. Full bodied with mouth gripping tannins and serious acidity. Medium-long finish. Could use quite some time to integrate. Drink 2014 - 2024. Classic Brunello, slightly austere.

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• 2004 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Light ruby colour. Aromas of ripe dark fruit with some floral and spicy hints. Full bodied with chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Long finish.
  Still very closed, needs more time. Drink 2014 - 2019.

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• 2004 Querce Bettina Brunello di Montalcino 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/15/2009)

  Light ruby colour. Full and fresh aromas of blackberry and dark cherry and some fresh crushed berries with hints of leather and mint. Following trough full bodied with lots of fresh acidity and balanced fruit and layered, silky, tannins. Long, fresh finish. Very much pure and fresh. Great new wine in the more traditional Brunello style. Hard to resist now, but has the structure to develop for quite some time. If it is a classic Brunello it might shut down in a year or 2 (no sign of that now!). So, drink now-2011 or 2016-2030.

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• 2004 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/14/2009)

  Ruby colour. Full aromas of cherry, blackberry and some floral hints. Full bodied with smooth tannins and smooth mouth-feel. Medium-long finish. Very young and a bit tight still. Needs some more time Drink 2012 - 2019.

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• 2004 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/15/2009)

  Ruby colour. Full aroma's of black fruit and some cherry, slightly disturbed by hints of burned rubber. Full bodied with chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Long finish.
  This bottle was popped and poured. It had the same burned rubber component as the regular Altesino '04 I had a day before.
  If this element blows of this is an excellent wine that deserves 92-93pts. Not sure if it will happen........

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• 2004 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/14/2009)

  Ruby colour with some amber at the rim. Aromas of burned rubber are covering up the cherry and meat notes underneath. Not pleasant. On the palate the wine seems OK with a medium-full body with refined tannins and fresh acidity.
  Initially the bottle seemed flawed. A day later I had the Montosoli, it showed the same burned rubber component, though less intimidating. It might blow of after a while (this bottle was open for +/- 6 hours).
  Disappointing :-((

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The 5th Annual Italian Offline / International edition. With a slightly diminished, but ever more dedicated crew from the WineSpectator forum. Enjoyed at Il Giglio in Montalcino.

The night was an excellent education in how Brunelli can develop. And how they are worth to give them some time 15-20 years seem a good indication for the best ones among them. We did discuss about the ageing potential of the modern Brunelli. There was some doubt about the longevity of wines that are produced by most producers nowadays. One thing is for sure, if a well made Brunello from a great vintage is allowed to age it easily ranks among the worlds best wines.

The 1985 Poggio al Vento was the clear WOTN. Of the '04 Brunelli the Fuligni was initially the clear winner. Later during the night the Sesta di Sopra catched up with it. The Fuligni was allowed to breath a bit longer than the Sesta di Sopra and the Conti Costanti.

Both the sparklers at the start and the sweets with the desert where great. In particular the Vin Santo from Petrolo repeated its impression on me.

• 2002 Paolo Bea Rosso de Véo 91 Points

  Italy, Umbria, Vino da Tavola

  (5/16/2009)

  Dark ruby colour. Full aromas of cherry and blackberry with black pepper and oregano hints. Following trough full bodied with lots of good fruit and smooth tannins. Long finish. Very balanced and smooth. Drink now - 2011.
  
  Completely different from the Sagrantino based wines from Caprai and Colpetrone that I have become used to.

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• 1990 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Deep ruby with some hints of amber. Full aromas of black cherry, blackberry and hints of bitter chocolate, leather and vanilla. Following trough full bodied and smooth with refined tannins and fresh acidity and fruit. Long finish with some spicy notes. Still very vivid and lots of structure left. Drinking great now, but could still use some more time.
  Again a great example of aged Brunello, a bit different character(less?) than the '85 Poggio al Vento we had at the same night.

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• 1985 Tenuta Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento 98 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Deep ruby colour, only some hints of amber at the rim. Fascinating aromas of black fruit, leather, black licorice and leather with evolving hints of allspice, dried herbs and anise. Following trough full bodied with well integrated tannins and fresh fruit and acidity. A smooth and full mouth-feel. Very long finish. This wine started out at this level and maintained it trough the night. Its drinking perfectly right now, but could still last a long time. Compared to previous notes this bottle seemed to have been ageing even more gracefully. It was cellared under excellent conditions at the same location since release.
  Textbook example of aged Brunello! The ethereal aromas that keep on evolving could on their own just keep me satisfied for an entire evening. So why not give it 100pts? not sure why not.....

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• 1977 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 94 Points

  Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

  (5/16/2009)

  Deep ruby, just hints of ambering. Initially some barnyard and fungus action. Later: continuously evolving aromas that go from bright cherry to ripe blackberry to honey and cinnamon to cedar. Full bodied and very smooth with refined tannins and lots of fresh acidity and fruit. Long finish, blanced finish.
  This is a true aroma-chameleon! Facinating in its development during the dinner. Not the etheral aroma's the '85 and '90 Brunelli gave at the same night. But still enchanting.

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• 1990 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Initially this wine showed a bit of brett and a muted nose. Even while the bottle had been opened several hours in advance. During dinner the wine gradually opened up. But I keep on thinking what it would have become if the bottle had been open for another day.
  Ruby colour with some amber at the rim. Delicate aromas of black fruit, berrries with earth and leather. Full bodied with well integrated and refined tannins, ripe fruit and some balanced acidity. Long, refined, finish. Elegant, refined and well integrated. I expect that it is at its peak for some time now.

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• 2004 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  The overall impression of this wine was heavily influenced by a clear note of dill on the nose. But there was a well made wine underneath. And some other participants had experienced a perfectly excellent bottle just a day before. After most of the, slightly disturbing, dill had blown off I made the following note:
  Medium light ruby colour. Aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, dill and hints of violets and mint. Full bodied with fresh acidity and chewy tannins. Long, fresh finish. Needs some time to integrate more.
  Not rated, likely an off-bottle.

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• 2004 Sesta di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 94 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Initially closed for business. At the end of the evening it started to show how I had tasted it before:
  Ruby colour. Full aromas of blackberry, cherry (and some blueberry?) with hints of violets and cedar. Following trough full bodied and fresh with lots of fruit and layered, smooth, tannins. Very long finish, balanced, finish.

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• 2004 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (5/16/2009)

  Ruby colour. Full aromas of cherry, currant and some berries with lots of cedar and some spice. Full bodied with mouth-coating smooth tannins and lots of fresh acidity. Long finish. Very attractive already, lots of structure. I expect this one will age gracefully.

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• 1999 Fattoria Petrolo Vin Santo 95 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Vin Santo

  (5/16/2009)

  Yellow/amber colour. Dense flavours of dried apricot, honey, caramel and hints of passion fruit and lemongrass. Full bodied and great mouth feel. Thick and creamy with fresh citrus hints. And a very long finish. This is beautiful nectar that seems to be made to last (for ever?).

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The 2004 vintage is overall a great vintage. The better wines are aromatic with lots of freshness and often floral aromas. The tannins are smooth and layered, some with a dusty character. I also encountered some disappointments. Its not another 2001, where almost every bottle you could find was at least great. But the better wines will show great longevity, and some of them are very attractive right now.