We are in the twilight of summer, kids are heading back to school, sunsets are happening earlier, and people are turning their attention to the wines coming out of Montalcino this year.  Here's a round-up of three reviews of our Brunello that came in this week.

~

In the October 15 issue, Wine Spectator reviews nearly 50 of this year’s Brunello releases.  Awarding Il Palazzone’s 2007 Brunello 91 points, Bruce Sanderson writes that:

This fluid, supple red evokes cherry, berry, underbrush and spice flavors.  On the slim side, with good intensity and a dusty, tobacco-tinged finish.  Best from 2014 through 2024.  400 cases made.

~

Creating a new format, Alder Yarrow of Vinography has created Vinography Unboxed, in which he profiles the best wines that have crossed his doorstep that week.   While maintaining his philosophy to try every wine that is sent to him, from the good to the bad and everything in between, he’s only able to actually write about a very small number.  So it’s with great pleasure that the 2006 Brunello earned a mention in his inaugural edition.

Light to medium ruby in color, this wine smells of cherry and sandalwood incense. In the mouth, voluminous tannins wrap around a core of cherry and sandalwood flavors with a hint of cola. Smoky notes of incense linger on the finish. Excellent acidity and a very light body make this wine a pleasure to drink. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9

~

In Sommelier Journal, Tom Hyland delves into some of the regulatory changes surrounding Brunello di Montalcino, Italy's first DOCG designated wine.  In the traditional style, which is the style that we still adhere to even after the rule change in 1996, the wines were required to be aged in large oak or chestnut botti for a minimum of 3 years. As vineyards in Montalcino experimented with smaller barriques and tonneaux, the rules changed to allow the aging minimum to decrease from 3 years to 2 years,so as to prevent the wines in the smaller aging vessels from becoming too “oaky”.  This shift in regulation in 1998 allowed vineyards in Montalcino even greater opportunity to express themselves stylistically and is what helps to account for such a diversity in today’s production of Brunello.The full article is available here, along with picks for Outstanding Recent Releases, which include our 2007 Brunello.

Fragrant with fresh Morello cherry, currant, orange peel, and cedar.  Ample acidity and round tannins carry through the concentrated palate to a long finish. Because of the vintage, this wine is a bit riper than is typical for such a traditional producer; it’s still quite elegant, however, and will only improve over 12-15 years.