Brunello – the crown prince of Tuscan wine
Brunello di Montalcino is one of the Italy’s best-known and most expensive wines, and by strict law, has to be 100% Sangiovese. Montalcino is located about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of Florence in the Tuscany wine region.
The two most common main types of wine produced in Montalcino are, Brunello di Montalcino, which requires total 50 months of aging, and Rosso di Montalcino, which is bottled young, is required to spend six months aging in oak and 1 year total aging before release.
Don’t ignore some value-priced Rosso di Montalcinos. While the fruit may be from less favorably exposed and younger sangiovese vines, in a fine vintage, the Rosso serves as a delicious and moderately priced, scaled-down version of Brunello. Try one instead of a bottle of Chianti next time you eat some Italian food.
2004 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino: Deep almandine ruby with black reflections. A rich cherry fruit bouquet. On the palate it’s full and rich, with powerful bright tart berry fruit. This drinks well now, very enjoyable, but will show even better in 5 years or more.
2004 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino: A brilliant ruby red, luscious and ripe with enough balance to carry it from an antipasto of prosciutto di Parma right through an entire meal with an aged pecorino romano cheese.