So I’ve tasted 170 Brunellos from the 2007 vintage and it looks like after a long period of unexcitement (see last year’s impatient outburst) Montalcino has finally managed to generate some drinking fun.
Pretty much everybody agrees that 2007 is a successful vintage with many good wines, easy to drink, rich, fruity, forward with no need to cellar for a decade before it can be appreciated (as was the case with 2006). Montalcino actually needed an easy-drinking (and fast-selling) vintage, because the last one of this kind was 2003, which was effectively marred by the Brunello scandal that broke out shortly after 2003’s release.
There is a number of other reasons to drink 2007 Brunello. Technically in winemaking terms the wines are showing a welcome improvement on the weaknesses of 2006 and 2005: the quality of tannins is better and there are fewer unpleasantly drying, overextracted wines; there is less oak than ever in the last decade; Merlot ‘corrections’ are now a thing of the past and pretty much all wines are showing Sangiovese’s typical luminous ruby hue (which I enjoy very much), transparent cherry fruit and crisp acids.
2007s also seem to have largely avoided the vintage’s traps, namely excessive alcohol and overripeness. Although many wines topped 15% alcohol I actually found it well integrated and unobtrusive, and many of my top-scoring wines have 15% on the label including Uccelliera, La Velona and Caprili. Overripeness is a more controversial issue and there are many pruney or even stewed wines, but also a large number displaying good freshness and sometimes even minerality.
It’s not all rosy though, and I was surprised at the poor performance of many perennial favourites, including Costanti and Lisini, two puzzling wines that I’ve retasted to be absolutely sure but that just fail to deliver what can reasonably be expected of such household names. But the list of overperformers is actually longer and the slideshow above shows you some of my favourite bottles including big surprises such as Il Marroneto and Croce di Mezzo.
(Please note that I’ve tasted 170 wines but did not taste some of the leading producers who decided not to participate in the tasting, including Biondi Santi, Soldera, Cerbaiona, Pieve S. Restituta, Ciacci, Poggio di Sotto, Castelgiocondo, Valdicava, Casanova di Neri and others – shame on them. I also didn’t taste the Salvioni which my journo colleagues very often list among the best 2007s).
Disclosure
My trip to Tuscany including flights, accommodation and wine tasting programme is sponsored by the consorzios of Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino.
Hi Woitech, I’m coming back from Montalcino and I want to say you thank’s for rights tasting indications. My favourites was very close to yours except for Il Marroneto, too fruity, too concentrated, noisy. Ciao e buon lavoro. s.molino
Really happy to hear this from an authority like you, Sergio!
Good news, Wojtku! I’m very happy!
I remember in this case the first part of Giacomo Leopardi lyric
THE CALM AFTER THE STORM
The storm hath passed;
I hear the birds rejoice; the hen,
Returned into the road again,
Her cheerful notes repeats. The sky serene
Is, in the west, upon the mountain seen:
The country smiles; bright runs the silver stream.
Each heart is cheered; on every side revive
The sounds, the labors of the busy hive.
The workman gazes at the watery sky,
As standing at the door he sings,
His work in hand; the little wife goes forth,
And in her pail the gathered rain-drops brings;
The vendor of his wares, from lane to lane,
Begins his daily cry again.
The sun returns, and with his smile illumes
The villas on the neighboring hills;
Through open terraces and balconies,
The genial light pervades the cheerful rooms;
And, on the highway, from afar are heard
The tinkling of the bells, the creaking wheels
Of waggoner, his journey who resumes.
……………………………………………………………..and so on
LA QUIETE DOPO LA TEMPESTA
Passata è la tempesta:
Odo augelli far festa, e la gallina,
Tornata in su la via,
Che ripete il suo verso. Ecco il sereno
Rompe là da ponente, alla montagna;
Sgombrasi la campagna,
E chiaro nella valle il fiume appare.
Ogni cor si rallegra, in ogni lato
Risorge il romorio
Torna il lavoro usato.
L’artigiano a mirar l’umido cielo,
Con l’opra in man, cantando,
Fassi in su l’uscio; a prova
Vien fuor la femminetta a còr dell’acqua
Della novella piova;
E l’erbaiuol rinnova
Di sentiero in sentiero
Il grido giornaliero.
Ecco il Sol che ritorna, ecco sorride
Per li poggi e le ville. Apre i balconi,
Apre terrazzi e logge la famiglia:
E, dalla via corrente, odi lontano
Tintinnio di sonagli; il carro stride
Del passegger che il suo cammin ripiglia.
……………………………………………………………….e prosegue
Pingback: WineWebNews 19 marzo 2012 Negli States è ancora il Cabernet il vino più richiesto | Blog di Vino al Vino·