There’s Sangiovese Italian red wine, then there’s Brunello di Montalcino, 100% Sangiovese, heaven in a bottle, perhaps the best Tuscan wine you can find.
But do you know how Brunello was invented by an Italian “Mad Scientist” named Clemente Santi? Or that there are two style of Brunello wine, the traditionalist and the modernist? Or rumors of Mafia involvement, even a hit in 2012 on Soldera?
In this video, Certified Sommelier John Alanis tells you the unusual story of Brunello di Montalcino, and how the Biondi-Santi family came to virtually rule Brunello wines.
If you love:
Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino
Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino
Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 2015
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino
Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino
Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
Livio Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino
Panariello Brunello di Montalcino
…and many other fine producers, you will thoroughly enjoy this video, and John’s wine tasting and Whole Bottle Review of the Livio Sassetti 2016.
Chapters
1:00 Clemente Biondi Santi- the Mad Scientist
3:03 Ferrucio Biondi Santi- creator of Brunello wine
4:44 Tancredo Biondi Santi- savior of Brunello di Montalcino
6:02 Franco Biondi Santi- keeper of the flame of Brunello
14:39 Mafia Hit in Brunello?
17:05 Tasting Brunello di Montalcino
19:20 Whole Bottle Review of 2016 Livio Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino
The John Alanis Magical Wine Whole Bottle Review Scale
100 Perfection, find a bottle once every 5 years, indescribably Magical, never forget it, impossible to convey in mere words.
99 Almost perfect, find a bottle every one to two years, Magical, makes you feel emotions/feelings you’ve never felt before, takes you forward and back in time, swirling memories
98 Magical wine, find a bottle two to three times a year, takes you places, evokes emotions, and brings ups old memories
97- Almost Magical, hints at places and memories, evokes emotion, but not quite magical. Fantastic evolution of the wine, finishes at a different place than where it started, flavors outshine emotions.
96- Fantastic flavor experience, bottle evolves and changes, evokes some emotion, but experience is all about the wine. We want this to be our “floor” every time we drink a bottle, but we must choose a bottle with the potential to meet these expectations.
95 Great flavor, mouthfeel, some evolution and change, focus is completely on the wine, doesn’t evoke emotion.
94 and below- enjoyable bottle of wine, goes great with food and friends, first sip and last sip are pretty much identical. Doesn’t evoked any emotion or trigger any memories, but was thoroughly enjoyable from a taste experience. Good to drink when you just want a glass.