Il Palazzone 2004 now in US! Reach for your corkscrews
Our 2004 is now available in the US!
No, that’s not a typo, I do mean 2004. We made all of 8.633 bottles of this wine, bottled on 31 July 2008 after over 36 months of wood aging in large Slavonian oak barrels (botti) and a short period in tonneaux (medium-sized French oak). We release our wines a little later than is usual (the 2005 vintage is already “out” for most producers) so that our wines can benefit from an extra year of bottle aging in perfect conditions (our cellar), particularly necessary for a complex vintage like 2004.
2004 is the first five star year for Brunello since 1997 (the so-called vintage of the century). Some of the lower-lying estates had problems due to excess heat in the summer but our Due Porte vineyard is at 530 metres above sea level (one of the highest vineyards in Montalcino) and so in 2004, our vines enjoyed the benefits of this altitude; cooler temperatures and near-constant wind. In true Brunello fashion it is deep ruby red with garnet hues. The nose is very textured with variegated layers of berries and fruit that broaden to spice, leather and tobacco with final balsamic notes. This wine is intricate and elegant, balanced and complex in the mouth with a strong character.
Il Palazzone 2004 received 91 points in both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate and was considered “outstanding” by Tom Hyland in VinoWire. Switzerland’s prestigious Merum magazine gave it 3 stars and it won a silver medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards. My favourite review is the four stars from Greg St.Clair at K&L Wine Merchants who wrote an incredibly comprehensive vintage report having tasted over 165 Brunellos during a two week stay in Montalcino last year:
"The enticing aromas of complex fruit and baked apples with cinnamon embrace your olfactory senses; hints of leather and intrigue linger at the glasses edge. On the palate, this wine is very rich, but in a sensually delicate way. While lush, it is soft muscle, graceful, full and pulsating. The flavors weave into a silky fabric, caressing your palate, wistfully teasing you to wander toward the finish. Supple warmth, warming luscious flavors with superb balance and drinkability make this is a truly superb wine"
It makes me want to reach for a corkscrew…
Our US distributor is www.domaineselect.com