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Terroir-istes International - Italy, Brunello di Montalcino
Rodwell House
Tasted April 14, 2012 by rikipedia with 69 views
Introduction
A focus on Brunello di Montalcino highlighting 3 top vintages 2004, 2001 & 1999 with a 1997 at the end.
Flight 1 - 2004 vintage from 3 producers (3 notes)
Red
2004 Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino
90 points
16-year-old vineyards, 4000 vines per hectare; 7 t per hectare. 25 hL Slavonian casks; 15% alcohol; 31.5 dry Extract.
Mid-ruby red with a wide orange rim.
Delicate aromas of raspberry, worn leather, dried earth, violet, and liquorice.
Crisp acid on entry, the wine is relatively intense with a powdery texture. The mid-palate has a more minerally feel, with a grippy-ness that builds to a brutish, densly compacted tannin on the back palate. There is just enough fruit to cushion the wine with red cherry, raspberry, and a gasp of richness. Long length, more old-fashioned?
Mid-ruby red with a wide orange rim.
Delicate aromas of raspberry, worn leather, dried earth, violet, and liquorice.
Crisp acid on entry, the wine is relatively intense with a powdery texture. The mid-palate has a more minerally feel, with a grippy-ness that builds to a brutish, densly compacted tannin on the back palate. There is just enough fruit to cushion the wine with red cherry, raspberry, and a gasp of richness. Long length, more old-fashioned?
Red
2004 Sesti (Castello di Argiano) Brunello di Montalcino
88 points
Biodynamic farming;13.5% alcohol; Light to medium ruby red, graduating to a wide orange rim.
The bouquet is attractive with tilled soil, moss, undergrowth and mushroom, along with plenty of oven-cooked summer berries.
Medium-weight, the palate has an initial crayon element.
A warming glycerol-led alcohol leads to a fleshy mid-palate with savoury nuances of marmite, liquorice and tar.
With firm, dense tannins but not that deep, the wine retains lovely saline feel yet its riper fruits and alcohol suggest a warmer site. A drying finish, some felt in the group it lacked fruit for the structural bones. Possibly, but still enjoyable.
The bouquet is attractive with tilled soil, moss, undergrowth and mushroom, along with plenty of oven-cooked summer berries.
Medium-weight, the palate has an initial crayon element.
A warming glycerol-led alcohol leads to a fleshy mid-palate with savoury nuances of marmite, liquorice and tar.
With firm, dense tannins but not that deep, the wine retains lovely saline feel yet its riper fruits and alcohol suggest a warmer site. A drying finish, some felt in the group it lacked fruit for the structural bones. Possibly, but still enjoyable.
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Red
2004 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
88 points
13.5% alcohol. Light to medium ruby towards a wide orange rim.
Pleasant aromas of Bing cherry, cough syrup and cedar with a hint of menthol.
High, coursing acidity, there is plenty of ripe fruits and richness to assuage the initial acid attack.
There is a lot of menthol and mint on the mid-palate and sweet tinned cherry to add some flesh. The tannins are grippy, although the wine lacks much concentration and depth. The finish is rather confected and feels disjointed as the tannins build and become a little dry and bitter towards a short-ish finish. Quite a traditional wine that felt a little grumpy at this stage!
Pleasant aromas of Bing cherry, cough syrup and cedar with a hint of menthol.
High, coursing acidity, there is plenty of ripe fruits and richness to assuage the initial acid attack.
There is a lot of menthol and mint on the mid-palate and sweet tinned cherry to add some flesh. The tannins are grippy, although the wine lacks much concentration and depth. The finish is rather confected and feels disjointed as the tannins build and become a little dry and bitter towards a short-ish finish. Quite a traditional wine that felt a little grumpy at this stage!
Flight 2 - 1999 vintage from 3 producers (3 notes)
Red
1999 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de' Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino
93 points
14% alcohol; south-west facing; 5500 vines per hectare.
Medium ruby red with orange rim. The bouquet suggests ripe redcurrants, cough syrup, a worn leather jacket, brown spices and moss.
The entry has a beautiful freshness, good depth of fruit and great concentration. Tertiary flavours mingle with a saline minerality and a touch of spice. The texture is powdery, elegant yet subtly powerful, while the tannins exert a little more grip and density. Long finish with layers of complexity.
Medium ruby red with orange rim. The bouquet suggests ripe redcurrants, cough syrup, a worn leather jacket, brown spices and moss.
The entry has a beautiful freshness, good depth of fruit and great concentration. Tertiary flavours mingle with a saline minerality and a touch of spice. The texture is powdery, elegant yet subtly powerful, while the tannins exert a little more grip and density. Long finish with layers of complexity.
Red
1999 Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino
89 points
400 m altitude; 6.5 tons/ha. 15 days on skins; 37 months in Slavonian oak; 13.5% alcohol
Medium to deep ruby, graduating to the orange rim. A gently aromatic, appealing bouquet shows leather, red fruits and shoe polish.
Appears more modern, with plenty of spice, dark chocolate and smoke, a rich texture, and crushed red berries. Lovely weight in the mouth, the tannins are firm but there is enough flesh for this to soften over time.
A very good wine with a long length but perhaps missing some mid-palate depth.
Medium to deep ruby, graduating to the orange rim. A gently aromatic, appealing bouquet shows leather, red fruits and shoe polish.
Appears more modern, with plenty of spice, dark chocolate and smoke, a rich texture, and crushed red berries. Lovely weight in the mouth, the tannins are firm but there is enough flesh for this to soften over time.
A very good wine with a long length but perhaps missing some mid-palate depth.
Red
1999 Tenuta le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino
85 points
14% alcohol; 30 days on skins. Dull and slightly cloudy cruby with a wide orange rim.
Noted VA to start but underneath lies aromas of red berries, chocolate and black plums. There is a slight hung meat quality almost earthy.
The entry is soft and fleshy with ripe fruits and appealing chocolate (99% Lindt), strawberry and raspberry flavours.
Powdery texture, the wine is smooth but the finish starts to move the VA needle up giving the fruit a balsamic sheen and a slight grip to the tannins.
Noted VA to start but underneath lies aromas of red berries, chocolate and black plums. There is a slight hung meat quality almost earthy.
The entry is soft and fleshy with ripe fruits and appealing chocolate (99% Lindt), strawberry and raspberry flavours.
Powdery texture, the wine is smooth but the finish starts to move the VA needle up giving the fruit a balsamic sheen and a slight grip to the tannins.
Flight 3 - 3 different vintages and producers (3 notes)
Red
2004 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino
88 points
14.5% alcohol. Light to medium bright ruby colour with a wide orange rim. The initial bouquet of crayons and parmesan cheese gives way to button mushrooms, undergrowth and red fruits.
Quite a fleshy entry with a smooth, silky texture, there are infused ripe redcurrants and cherry flavours.
There is some concentration, but the wine feels more horizontal, lacking some depth. The tannins have a touch of grip helped by initial saline and a minerally edge. However, the wine changes in glass to seem a little muddy, becoming strangely confected. Not sure what to make of this bottle?
Quite a fleshy entry with a smooth, silky texture, there are infused ripe redcurrants and cherry flavours.
There is some concentration, but the wine feels more horizontal, lacking some depth. The tannins have a touch of grip helped by initial saline and a minerally edge. However, the wine changes in glass to seem a little muddy, becoming strangely confected. Not sure what to make of this bottle?
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Red
2001 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino
95 points
A light to mid-ruby colour with a wide orange rim. An enticing nose of ripe red fruit, spice and leather polish.
Medium-bodied, the wine is dry with intense flavours of raspberry and blackberry. This elegant yet subtly powerful wine has enough flesh to coat the bones, being relatively compact with fine powdery tannins. Complex, there is phenomenal concentration as this multilayered wine opens up in the glass. A phenomenal wine with serious depth and persistence to be an archetypal iron fist in a velvet glove, elegance.
Medium-bodied, the wine is dry with intense flavours of raspberry and blackberry. This elegant yet subtly powerful wine has enough flesh to coat the bones, being relatively compact with fine powdery tannins. Complex, there is phenomenal concentration as this multilayered wine opens up in the glass. A phenomenal wine with serious depth and persistence to be an archetypal iron fist in a velvet glove, elegance.
Red
1997 Sesti (Castello di Argiano) Brunello di Montalcino
89 points
Lifted notes of red berries, strawberry and cherry delight, but a slight saddle leather is less enticing.
Full-bodied, the wine has plenty of ripe fruits, fleshy yet with some grip and flavours of bing cherry, redcurrant and crushed strawberries. There is some complexity, and the alcohol feels very generous, giving a slight heat on the back palate. The tannins feel firm and narrow but aren't seemingly affected by the Bretty notes.
Despite the alcohol protruding, there is freshness with lots of berries, and although the wine lacks a touch of stuffing and that sauvage note, it is still showing well.
Full-bodied, the wine has plenty of ripe fruits, fleshy yet with some grip and flavours of bing cherry, redcurrant and crushed strawberries. There is some complexity, and the alcohol feels very generous, giving a slight heat on the back palate. The tannins feel firm and narrow but aren't seemingly affected by the Bretty notes.
Despite the alcohol protruding, there is freshness with lots of berries, and although the wine lacks a touch of stuffing and that sauvage note, it is still showing well.