PANEL TASTING Brunello di Montalcino 2007 Diverse terroir and winemaking remain hot topics in the region, says Richard Baudains, introducing a vintage which was awarded a top, five-star rating by the consorzio The debaTe around Montalcino, both from inside the denomination and among critics, continues to focus on the N question of identity. now that the rumpus over illicit blending has subsided and brunello has regained its River virginity as Tuscany’s only monovarietal Sangiovese, the Ombrone hot topics are terroir and winemaking style. The significant differences in soils and climate conditions BOSCO within the DOCG zone have long been appreciated, but the Florence Montosoli Torrenieri expansion of the area under vine in recent years has raised Livorno N new issues. hardliners complain that wines are now being CHIANTI produced in places where site-sensitive Sangiovese should never be planted, and call for the definition of a kind of Bolgheri Siena Ligurian Montalcino ‘original and best’ classico zone within the DOCG. Sea Softliners, on the other hand, propose a descriptive zoning MONTALCINO to identify the characteristics of the various crus. The MONTALCINO ELBA MAREMMA River issues are complex and the arguments of the zoners not Asso Grosseto always supported by the evidence. For example, many Pianosa MORELLINO estates founded in the past 10 years, including some in the Tavernelle fringe areas, produce excellent wines, by no means below the standard of the DOCG as a whole. What is more, the Camigliano Castelnuovo calls for sub-zones based on village boundaries fail to take dell’ Abate Sant’ Angelo into consideration the diversity of terroirs within these in Colle areas. Scientific studies of soil and climate differences SANT’ANGELO would be necessary for a serious mapping of sub-zones. Since this is not on the agenda of the producers’ consortium, Sant’ Angelo Scalo a formal classification of sub-zones is highly unlikely in the River Orcia 0 1 2 3 4 5 short to medium term. as for winemaking style, this debate has raged since kilometres the 1980s, when barriques first appeared here, but it has returned to prominence with the blending scandal. The use Brunello: of Merlot to accommodate international tastes by juicing Brunello di Montalcino: up the fruit, softening the naturally hard tannins of the facts brunello and bringing drinking dates forward, has sparked know your vintages a backlash against modern styles from traditionalists who Soils These range from the defend a so-called ‘terroir’ style. both approaches emerge galestro and alberese types 2007 dense, rich and dry and nervy, but should in tastings; the deeper coloured, rounder, more fruit-driven common in Chianti to sandy full-bodied; lower acidity develop well. For long interpretation of brunello and the leaner, intense, savoury clay on the lower slopes. than usual. Possibly not ageing. drink: 2014–2024 one modelled on the archetypal wines of biondi Santi. altitude of vineyards is for very long keeping. mostly between 150m and drink: 2013–2020. 2003 Concentrated, Distinctive style 400m above sea level. full-bodied but often My view is that the debate provides valuable insights, but 2006 Powerful if not one-dimensional wines Area under vine 2,000ha these days poses a false question. ‘real brunello’ was an always totally balanced. with quite low acidity. issue when cheating on the blend was going on. It should Annual production about The best will age well. Probably not for the long not be today. brunello has a distinctive character which 8.3 million bottles (63,000 drink: 2016–2026. term. drink: 2012–2020 marks it out from Chianti to the north and Morellino and bottles in 1980; 1.5m in the other Sangiovese-based wines of the Maremma to the 1988; about 3.5m on 2005 Careful 2002 Very difficult, south and, to me, diversity of cru character and wine styles average in the 1990s) selection needed. The but some surprises. Worth within the DOCG is a resource, not a threat to that identity. Producers 250 best are elegant and trying top names, but not having said that, diversity can be more or less apparent, mid-weight, to drink fairly to keep. drink: 2012–2015 Bottlers 200 depending on the vintage. distinctions between sub-zones early. drink: 2013–2020. and winemaking styles are much more evident in cooler DOCG regulations (since 2001 Those who vintages with longer ripening periods than in early picked 1998) 100% Sanigovese. 2004 Textbook picked later made austere ones. hot vintages, on the other hand, are a great leveller. ageing for four years (five conditions. Wines are but typical wines for 2007 is a case in point. The winter was mild, the spring for riserva), of which two intense, perhaps a little ageing. drink: 2012–2021 warm and dry and the early part of the summer baking hot. must be in wood. Picking started on 10 September. on the basis of the elson n quality of the harvest, the producers’ consorzio gave 2007 that will show its best over the long term. We will probably its top, five-star rating. The wines are dense, rich and need to wait a few years for confirmation or otherwise. full-bodied but with lower acidity than average and less to Map:Maggie give on the nose. Producers are saying that it’s a vintage Richard Baudains is a DWWA Regional co-Chair for Italy ➢ DECANTER • August 2 0 1 2 | 6 5 PANEL TASTING Brunello di Montalcino 2007 up with ‘formulaic winemaking’. ‘everyone is Individual tasters’ The results jumping on the bandwagon,’ she added, ‘since scores and notes Outstanding 18.5–20pts (95–100pts) you can sell brunello for a good price. So you get are listed in regardless of your preference for traditional or modern styles, our experts found commendable people with land that once grew wheat or addition to the consistency – though no real superstars – in these approachable, fruity brunellos. by Guy Woodward something, who feel they can make more money Decanter average from wine. The fact that they are on a north- score for all facing slope on porous, unfertile soil is not ideal ‘Outstanding’ – but it falls within the DOCG, so they can do it.’ wines (previously ‘SolId if unspectaCular’ was the overall verdict on a ‘It’s a long time since I’ve The scores as for the longevity of the wines, baudains known as Decanter tasting where consistency was the overriding issue. said, not disapprovingly, that ‘they are quite 161 wines tasted Award or 5-star). La Colombina di Caselli Anna Maria on the plus side, said Jane hunt MW, ‘we tasted 161 well-ahead’, with most almost ready to drink For ‘Highly seen that level of consistency Decanter average score: 18.5pts/20 (95pts/100) wines, and only asked for one second bottle [for a faulty 2 ‘now or next year’. hunt too felt it was a vintage Recommended’ wine]. equally, I can only recall two or three wines that you from Italy’ Jane Hunt MW Outstanding for ‘early drinking, not long keeping’. While this and ‘Recommended’ Individual judge’s scores: would say were badly made – and it’s a long time since I’ve was partly down to the nature of the vintage, wines (previously Richard Baudains 17.5 Jane Hunt MW 19.5 Rosemary George MW 18.5 seen that level of consistency from Italy’. While the overall 44 she also felt it may herald a conscious decision 4- and 3-star), n/a uK www.lacolombinavini.it standard of winemaking was reliable, there was ‘quite a Highly recommended by producers to make wines in a more accessible individual and Federico Caselli’s thick Tuscan accent leaves no doubt as to the local diversity in style,’ said rosemary George MW. This largely brunello’. Colour, too, was a factor, with all the tasters style and get them on the market earlier. average scores are origins of this up-and-coming estate at Castelnuovo dell’abate. The came down to the two camps: modern and traditional. remarking on the unusually bright, vibrant hues of wines 71 While baudains also detected ‘a tendency listed but tasting Caselli family has been smallholders here for generations, until recently Recommended on the classic, traditional side, hunt found plenty of that are five years old. ‘The colour was far too red’ on towards making brunello fruitier and more notes are practising the traditional mixed farming of the area and only making wine wines whose ‘beauty was in their character – that lighter several wines, said hunt, who went so far as to say ‘you 41 accessible for earlier drinking’, he stressed that combined efforts. for domestic use. It converted to specialised wine growing in 1997 with the colour, more subtle, perfumed nose and lovely, slightly wouldn’t pick them out as brunello [if tasted] blind.’ Fair 2007 is ‘very different to 2006, which was steely For individual planting of 3ha in locations which rub shoulders with some of the most cedary fruit’. richard baudains, too, applauded the wines This naturally raises questions about possible and rigid with lots of acidity and good cellaring tasting notes for illustrious names of this southern Montalcino cru. The first vintage from made in a ‘slightly oxidised, mature, perfumed style’. adulteration of these supposedly 100% Sangiovese wines, 3 potential’. all the tasters agreed the 2004s and these wines, go to the new vineyards came out in 2001. Caselli considers 2004 his best wine but there were also wines made in what hunt described but the tasters were confident that ‘only three or four had Poor 2006s are more ageworthy, but you’re more Decanter.com/ to date, while 2007, he says, will need time to reveal its full potential.