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by Manos Angelakis
2003 vintage
The annual tasting of Brunello wines from Tuscany’s Montalcino took place in New York City on January 29th. Fifty-three producers presented their ’03 vintage that is mostly full-bodied, complex, with a deep ruby/garnet color, black forest berry fruit, spice, cedar, and vanillin from the oak. Still very young, though a few bottles were almost ready to drink now, and at least one was ready for immediate consumption. In general, a few years of cellaring will smooth the tannins and temper the exuberance of youth, for a truly elegant wine that will bring enjoyment to the patient oenophile.
Because the tasting space was so crowded, I could not taste the wines of every participant. My notes on select producers (alphabetically):
Castello Banfi: ’03 Brunello di Montalcino: One of Italy’s most respected red wines. Nice and balanced, though still quite firm. Two years aging in oak and another two in bottle have created an opulent depth and a lingering finish. A seductive wine with subtlety and grace, will improve with cellaring.
Castello del Romitorio: A massive twelfth century fortress standing on a hilltop overlooking Montalcino is the domain of renowned Italian modern artist Sandro Chia. With the assistance of enologist Carlo Ferrini, he produces premium Tuscan wines and grappa. His 2003 Brunello is a very traditional wine with cassis, blackberry and cherry and hints of chocolate, coffee, and spice.
Col d’ Orcia: Though a large producer, Col d’ Orcia creates some of the Italian wines I like very much. The ’03 Brunello was very young; a very dark ruby body with purple highlights that promises a seductive elegance once the wine has some time to age in bottle. On the same table was also a magnum of 1997 Brunello, and a taste of that revealed a spicy, rich, ripe, friendly to the palate wine with flavors of black cherry and notes of cedar.
Fanti, Tenuta San Filippo. ’03 Brunello di Montalcino. Deep, saturated color. Rich dark berry fruit and lots of spice; the vanilla from the oak is very apparent. The finish was noticeably dry but flavorful, and rather long.
Fattoria Uccelliera: ’03 Brunello di Montalcino. Nice legs. Aromas of blackberry, spice and dried mushrooms. Full-bodied palate, with big tannins and a long finish.
Ruffino’s Tenuta Greppone Mazzi: Another almost ready to drink Brunello; bright and floral, with blackberry, plum and cedar and a hint of wild mushrooms. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and well balanced with a pleasant acidity. Will benefit from a few years in cellar.
Tenute il Poggione: ’03 Brunello di Montalcino. Almost ready to drink, full-bodied and soft, with spicy aromas of ripe fruit and berries and fine, polished tannins.
Tenute Silvio Nardi: ’03 Brunello di Montalcino. The wine is surprisingly ready to drink now. Deep ruby in color with purple highlights, it shows an intense bouquet of red berries and notes of leather and incense. Firm, moderate, elegant tannins. Might benefit from further aging, but if you want a 2003 bottle for tonight’s dinner, this is the one to get.
To your health!
© March 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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