In this video, Bob Paulinski Master of Wine discusses Brunello di Montalcino, including the various wine styles and aging potential, along with a tasting of a 1993 La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Located in Tuscany, around the hill town of Montalcino. Take the place of origin along with the grape variety, you have Brunello di Montalcino, a DOCG, the highest classification for Italian wine. This is an ancient wine region, but over the last forty years or so its reputation has soared. In general, the wines see good availability on the international market.
Think of the regions wines as a hierarchy of good, better, best. The good or entry tier is RdM, which is classified as DOC. The wine must spend at least six months in barrel and one year aging prior to release. This is a lighter, less concentrated, fresher, brighter style of wine meant to be consumed within about five years to seven from the vintage. These can often be found in that $20 to $30 range.
In comparison, Brunello di Montalcino is routinely from preferred vineyard sites with lower yields, a longer maceration times, expect, deeper, better structured wines. Oak plays a role but it’ll vary based on the source of the wood, along with the age and barrel size. A degree of new oak is often used. The wines must be at least five years old with a minimum of two years in barrel prior to release. The wines show depth and structure to age for twenty years or more. Better producers will start at around $40, and quickly climb. There have been many strong recent vintages. Check a vintage chart and you’ll see for yourself. But one call out, warmer years can result in elevated % levels. My recommendation is if the alcohol bumps up to around 15%, it’s often too high for the structure of the wines and they can come across as being out of balance.
At the top tier is Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, this represents the smallest production level within the region, made from the top vineyards and only in the best years. New oak often plays a bigger role. The wine must be at least six years old, with at least two in barrel. Made for cellaring, thirty years is often well within reach. The starting price is around $50 per bottle and that will climb quickly.
The recent vintages to search out: 2015, 2016, 2019 and the yet to be released 2020. Prices will vary. Costco Kirkland Signature is available from time to time, It’s worth searching out as an introduction to Brunello di Montalcino. Past offerings have run about $20. Websites Last Bottle will run deals from time to time.
PRODUCERS TO SEARCH OUT INCLUDE:
2021 Altesino Rosso di Montalcino $26
2020 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino $28
2019 Lisini Rosso di Montalcino $33
2017 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino $42
2019 Poggiotondo Brunello di Montalcino $45
2019 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino $49
2018 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino $49
2018 Casalino Brunello di Montalcino $50
2019 San Fillipo Brunello di Montalcino $55
2018 Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino $55
2018 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino $70
2016 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino $75
2016 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino $75
2016 Sassetti Livio Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino $80
2019 Altesino Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino $89
2016 Renieri Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $100
#wine #sangiovese #brunello #italianwine #winetasting #winelife #wineculture #winetime #italy #redwine #greatwinecapitals #wset #bobpaulinski #masterofwine #winenot #wineglass #winelovers
28 Comments
What's your opinion abouts that 21 bucks sold by Trader Joe's? Drinkable ou avoid it?
Excellent informative video from you (as always) Bob about one of the best wines out there, thank you !
The Durant wine opener is crazy expensive but it has rescued me on many aged bordeaux and aged Mosel riesling when the regular Ah-So didn't work.
Superb tasting video!
Tasting the same vintage wine over several years/decades seems like the most scientific approach to understanding wine aging.
Have you ever conducted this kind of longitudinal tasting yourself? If so, could you share any insights or findings you've gathered from such experiences? 😊
Thanks for sharing Bob. Looking fwd to your Rosso di Montalcino videos for those of us who cannot afford to wait 10-20 years for the brunellos to age !
never get tired of saying, aging wines is pointless. like how smooth do we want those tannins to be😅
Thanks for another informative video.
I agree on the decanting. At the very least, once it’s in the glass it’s receiving the air it needs after a good swirl to ‘open up’. And of course with wines with the age you’re talking about in videos like this, decanting can work against it.
Excuse me if I mispronounce this.
Tonight I am enjoying a black slate from 2021 Gratallops vi de valle priorat …. Delicious for 18 dollars.
I recently opened an Argiano Brunello 2004, while nowhere near as old as yours, I did a 2 hour decant and it was in the right place by dinner time. I would definitely taste the wine after opening first to determine if it needs a decant (and if the profile as it resonates), and if I were to have a long dinner with it. For me to decant or not, would depending on the vintage and the amount of age, how it tastes right out of the bottle, and whether it is a Riserva, as well as the style of the producer (modern style Brunello vs traditional). If I'm feeling less confident and the wine is old like this, perhaps a very soft and slow gentle decant just for sediment removal. Bravo on opening a wine that's tasting great and in perfect condition!
You lucky dog. That’s a once in a lifetime taste for anyone. I was lucky enough to visit Poggio Landi last year. The level of technology was similar to a Bond movie with the winery built into the hillside and barely visible from the dirt road leading to it. Amazing
Birthyear Brunello! Yes, Bob!
I love brunello 🙂 I have several poggiones and a few argianos aswell. Cheers !
It's a great experience to pop up an old bottle and see that it's held up nicely and is in prime condition. 1993 was a great year for me — I was born 😂 Enjoy the treat! Cheers
Another excellent video! Brunello has really jumped in price over the last five years and I’ve been buying more chiantis instead. The reservas are half the price of less expensive Brunello and are often better in down years for sanjo as a little merlot helps. Thanks again!
I love seeing wine experts trying a wine that make them go "Yes!". I'm sure you've tried well over 10000 wines but already smelling this one, I could see your joy. I'm drinking a Scharzhofberger Kabinett 2020, sadly not from Egon Müller, but from Bishöfliche Weingüter Trier. A very good wine, without a doubt, but lacking a bit of intensity and length to be truly great.
Can you do a sherry wine video?
I have also noticed that some of the sediment is better when drunk than left in bottle for very old wines like this. It gives the wine a touch of spice
Costco update 10/6/24 Kirkland brunello 2019 is out. For 19.99 I will test out.
Decanting or not decanting.. that is the question.. I think this should have been the real question Shakespeare should have asked in the Hamlet 😂 I'm trying to focus on how the wine is when I pour a small bit in the glass, independent of the age. If it seems closed, then I might decant it. If as soon as opened is great, then I won't 😊
Congratulations on your 12K subscribers! 🎉
I agree that mature wines don't benefit from decanting, it's safer to just let them breath a little bit in the glass. I would also finish the bottle on the same day.
Hey Bob, how do you think the 1999 Fuligni will do now? Is it past its prime?
I'd like to know what kind of brunello's to get for aging. I got hooked when I went to Italy and learned my lesson on a $80 vs. $45 bottle when I got back home of the same stuff. I have a few Brunellos as I try and pick one up every time a new box comes in at Costco. I dont go out of my way to buy any since local wine is good to drink right now that I have no idea or foresight to try and age it for little affect. When in France they gave us a 1985 cabernet and It was rusty like your pour and well it tasted alright but I would not pay any kind of premium for that kind of flavor considering back home new wines without any aging taste better to me. I need some help and a guide when I visot Montalcino!
BOB, i have a considerable amount of brunello's in my cellar, Some are riserva and some are not. what is the optimum time in the bottle before uncorking? i have some vintages between 98 and 2004. great video by the way
After watching your video back a few months ago, my local wine shop had “Pre-purchase” on 2019 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino. I just picked up my pre-ordered two bottles at $44.99 each. Is it good?
Hope u can review some 2019
I enjoyed your video very much and agree with pretty much everything you said. We started collecting Brunello only 10 years ago so I don't have any in my collection older than 2009. I have had a couple from the mid 90's and a couple from the early 2000's at restaurants over the years. I really enjoyed the few I had and hope to live long enough to enjoy the collection I have from 49 producers, vintages 2009-2020. Brunello is my wife and my favorite wines and look forward to drinking them for years to come. My favorite is the 2015 Siro Pacenti Vecchie Vigne. Again great job on the video looking forward to more in the future.
Agree 100% on the durand, I can live without it, not worth the money & I rather spend those 100€ on wine instead! On the other hand this video made me really eager to try an aged Brunello di Montalcino, like 30-35 yrs old. The most aged I´ve drank is the Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino from 2006 which was amazing!!!