I’ve just escaped from the tasting tent in the Fortress, my wrists shaking from too much swirling and my jaw aching from too much smiling.

Today’s excitements:

The 2009 vintage has been awarded four stars.

The plaque celebrating this vintage was designed by the Japanese artists Yuko and Shin Kibayashi, the creators of the wine manga “The Drops of God” (4.300.000 copies sold) and has now been cemented in place on the Comune Vecchio.

The Locanda Locatelli (www.locandalocatelli.com) in London, La Fattoria del Campiglione in Pozzuoli (Naples) and the Enoteca Bonatti in Florence were awarded the Leccio D’Oro prize for services to Brunello.

 2005 is proving to be an interesting vintage, and there are some gems amongst the 2004 Riservas…

I’m off to prepare for a maxi-merenda in the cellar with some private clients. Wonderful Cugusi pecorino and affettati, haven't decided what to open yet. I'm Brunello-ed out.