Donna Olga Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 SALE!! And 2006 Brunello in the store...
"Wine... the intellectual part of the meal."
--- Alexandre Dumas, 1873
The newly released 2007 vintage from Montalcino looks to be another outstanding year. I have just tasted my first 2007 Brunellos and have to say I am now a believer, our annual tasting of the newly released 2007 vintage wines from Montalcino is coming on Friday May 11th- but before we get into the 2007's we still have quite a few wines left here to sell from the outstanding 2006 vintage.
I am bringing this to your attention because we just got a great deal on the 2006 vintage from on one of my favorite houses, Donna Olga from Agricola Centolani. The owner, Olga Peluso-Centolani, is one of the few female proprietors from this region and we have had several opportunities to introduce Olga as well as her wines to our wine drinking people at tastings conducted in the past years here at the Wine Watch and at Café Maxx. Over the years Donna Olga always shows very nicely even in its youth and is often times one of the favorite wines at our tasting because of its forward and precocious nature.
Just in case you missed our couple of dozen offerings on these outstanding 2006 wines from Montalcino, I have included everything that we have in stock after the offering on this Donna Olga. We also have several older vintages of Donna Olga if you would like to have your own vertical tasting with this wine.
Donna Olga Brunello di Montalcino 2006
Regular Price: $69 Sale $43.50
A very elegant style of Brunello with red cherry and wild strawberry fruit on the nose along with a full complement of fresh cut flower, underbrush, hints of menthol, black spices and porcini mushroom like notes to this very complex bouquet. Lovely balance and freshness on the tongue, this wine always shows nicely even right after opening, excellent structure and depth of flavors with forward cherry and wild strawberry like fruit on the tongue, silky smooth tannins and although it is forward and seductive this wine still has the potential to be cellared for another decade or more. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
(92 points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is a very pretty, flashy Brunello. In this vintage I find more elegance, freshness and balance than has often been the case. Freshly cut flowers, smoke, menthol, cherries, plums, underbrush and tobacco are some of the notes that come to life on the vivid, textured finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011
Here is what the critics are saying about the 2006 vintage from Montalcino:
“I think 2006 is THE greatest modern vintage…"
“What excites me about the wines is their metamorphic character. They seem to change all the time in the glass. First they seem elegant and shy...but then with time in the glass, they grow in color, aromatic strength, and sheer power. I have rarely discovered such energy in a Sangiovese… "
“I have only seen great red Burgundy react like that in the glass – and I am talking about grand cru or premier cru Pinot Noirs from top producers. It’s a sign of a great vintage.”
James Suckling
"In general the best 2006s are big, powerful Brunelli with beautifully delineated aromatics, great concentration of fruit and plenty of structure."
"Vintage 2006 will be remembered for intense, rich wines. At the same time, the best Brunelli possess striking aromatics, plenty of nuance and the structure to develop positively for many years."
At its best, though, 2006 is a benchmark vintage for Brunello di Montalcino. Readers will not want to miss these fabulous wines."
Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate
A bit about Agricola Centolani Donna Olga:
Brunello di Montalcino is not only a myth in the history of the world's great wines, a legend of traditions abided by as if they were beloved rituals; but it is a live, enduring, reality witnessing commitment and research. These are the words by which Olga Peluso-Centolani lives. Tenuta Friggiali, begun by her and her father, is the dream of a family whose Naples ancestry can be traced back for generations; the Peluso-Centolanis have been some of that city's most honored citizens. The family has great pride and respect for their past, but the youngest generation has been captivated by the lure of the wine business in Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany's most famous viticultural zone. Consequently the Peluso-Centolanis have been commuting between homes in Tuscany and Naples for over fifteen years. They spent much of the early years searching the Tuscan countryside for the right location, not only for a home worthy of their position (they could afford to build anywhere they pleased), but for a site to make the wine that had become an undeniable passion. The foray north from Naples was officially made in 1981 when Olga and her father purchased a plot of land that included three vineyards and an old stone wine cellar from the Argiano estate. Located approximately 3.5 miles from the center of the ancient town of Montalcino on the southern slope of the hill, it was very well known for having a prime location. The view from the splendid natural terrace on which the winery rises stretches out to the famous Poggio alle Mura Castle in the background, while just a few miles to the northeast you can see the vines of Pieve Santa Restituta, where Angelo Gaja now makes his Brunello that has become an overnight superstar of the appellation. The Peluso-Centolanis are so enamored with Tuscany that they deferred from using the traditional family crest or even the family name as part of the label; instead they chose a beautiful Tuscan Renaissance frieze embossed in gold as the label's focal point. The label is one of the most intricate and expensive to grace a bottle of Brunello. The name Friggiali, rather than anything directly associated with the family, was chosen in order to pay tribute to the Tuscan terrain. In Latin Friggiali means "a mountain battered by high winds".
Agricola Centolani, the corporate name of the estate, covers about 250 acres, of which 38 acres are planted with vines and eight acres are devoted to olive trees. The oil produced there is one of the finest extra virgins available. The estate's vines are spread out in the southern part of the Montalcino zone around Sant' Angelo. The three separate estate vineyards are situated along the slopes of the Montalcino hill and produce three distinct styles of wine depending on the altitude of the vines. Fruit from the lower vineyard results in rather mellow wines with high tannins; the more refined wines, full of flavor, come from the vineyard at medium altitude; the top slope yields wine with extremely delicate characteristics and a splendid bouquet. The Friggiali Brunello di Montalcino is the result of an exacting and careful cuvée of the sangiovese grosso grapes of these vineyards. The wines from each of the three vineyards are vinified separately, and the blending is done according to the characteristics each one exhibits.
In the heart and land of Montalcino was born Brunello di Montalcino Donna Olga. Donna Olga is taken from the name of Olga Peluso Centolani, a passionate woman of wine and a wine grower who has for years been involved with the production of wine. The estate, a little nature’s work of art, consists of 11 hectares, but only 4 of them are cultivated by Donna Olga with selected clones of Sangiovese Brunello and a density of more than 6.500 plants per hectare. Her love for the Tuscan countryside and nature with its cycle of seasons, its fruits, its mysteries, brings every year a production of 20.000 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino. Each one is an extraordinary combination of power and elegance, style and structure, harmony and longevity, and assures to all its estimators the unforgettable sensorial experience that only the Greatest Wines can give.
Donna Olga is all about quality. Only 5 km away from the ancient walls surrounding Montalcino, travelling along the “Maremmana road”, that links up the Senese province to the Maremma, you can see as far as the horizon, a wonderful sightseeing that outlines the south-west slope of the hill of Montalcino. Here is where Donna Olga vineyards lie “con il sole quasi sempre in faccia”, quoting a famous writer, claiming thereby their primacy over the territory. Vineyards are terraced, they slope down from a height of 400 to 270 mt above sea level, and this gap is a warrant of quality. Actually, grapes coming from the higher blocks present long lasting perfumes and a sizeable content of acidity that grants a long life to the wine; grapes from the lower blocks have a more marked concentration of tannins and polyphenols that give the wine a velvety and more full-bodied structure. From the processing of these grapes, 100% Sangiovese, we obtain Brunello Donna Olga, a wine that reveals a strong connection with the landscape, nature and Mother Earth.
Older Vintages of Donna Olga Available:
2004 Donna Olga Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $80.00 Sale $70.40
Quantity in Stock: 16
A good amount of black cherry and black plum old leather saddle porcini mushrooms and exotic spices and floral. A bit tightly wound at the moment but has all the right stuff just needs a bit of time to come together has all the right stuff. Finish 40+ Most Excellent
2003 Dona Olga Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $73.25 Sale $64.46
Quantity in Stock: 25
Wine watch Review: Black cherry and exotic spices very complex and nuanced aromas fresh black truffle tar and a potpouree of floral notes. Excellent concentration and depth of flavor on the tongue with nice freshness and notes of tar and dried flowers on the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
2001 Donna Olga Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $89.00 Sale $78.32
Quantity in Stock: 2
(88 Points) Jammy and slightly stemmy. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a jammy finish. Best after 2009. 600 cases made. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Apr 30, 2006
Other 2006 Brunello di Montalcino available:
2006 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $60.00 Sale $52.80
Quantity in Stock: 9
(92 Points) Rich, with a glycerol feel to the texture, showing plum, cherry, tobacco and black tea notes, all backed by a solid structure. The acidity and tannins shore this up as the finish glides on. Best from 2013 through 2025. 1,000 cases made. –BS Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only - 2011
2006 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $68.75 Sale $60.50
Quantity in Stock: 31
Dried herbs and red berry fruit on the nose with notes of licorice spice. Notes of tar and black spices on the finish, a very classically fashioned brunello with layers of dried herbs and porcini notes. Most Excellent
2006 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $64.00 Sale $56.32
Quantity in Stock: 24
2006 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino 375ml
Price: $37.00 Sale $32.56
Quantity in Stock: 4
Fresh wild strawberry like fruit on the nose with distinct Tuscan terroir and leather saddle nuance. Fresh red berry fruit on the tongue with firm tannins and a long finish. A very nice savory finish on this wine with a good amount of tannins with notes of graphite minerality and dark spices through the long finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
2006 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalicino
Price: $52.50 Sale $46.20
Quantity in Stock: 12
(90 points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is an attractive entry-level wine. Dark red berries, crushed flowers, licorice and mint are some of the nuances that emerge from this fleshy, mid-weight offering. The aromas and flavors are decidedly on the ripe side of the spectrum in the racy 2006, but the intensity of the fruit covers the tannins nicely, making this an attractive wine for near-term pleasure. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. Wine Advocate # 194 May 2011
2006 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso
Price: $67.00 Sale $58.96
Quantity in Stock: 3
(95+ Points) Silky and elegant, offering cherry, raspberry, currant and violet aromas and flavors. Detailed and firmly structured, with refined tannins and a lingering aftertaste of red fruits. A Brunello of finesse and harmony. Best from 2012 through 2028. 2,900 cases made. –BS Wine Spectator Wine Issue: Aug 31, 2011
2006 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso Magnum
Price: $142.50 Sale $125.40
Quantity in Stock: 1
(95 Points) Silky and elegant, offering cherry, raspberry, currant and violet aromas and flavors. Detailed and firmly structured, with refined tannins and a lingering aftertaste of red fruits. A Brunello of finesse and harmony. Best from 2012 through 2028. 2,900 cases made. –BS Wine Spectator Issue: Aug 31, 2011
2006 Col D'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $62.00 Sale $54.56
Quantity in Stock: 12
(93 points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino emerges from the glass with a finely knit bouquet of tobacco, sweet herbs, licorice, leather and red cherries. The wine shows lovely depth, richness and polish in its engaging personality. The warm radiance of the fruit flows through effortlessly to the long, creamy finish. This is a terrific effort from Col d’Orcia. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Wine Advocate #194 May 2011
2006 Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $55.00 Sale $48.40
Quantity in Stock: 12
A bit more well endowed on the nose very dense and rich with lots of ripe black cherry and wild strawberry jam like fruit black truffle and more…Big and chewy on the tongue with a full array of black truffle tar and earthy nuance to the ripe fruit firm tannins and a good amount of acidity holding things together nicely. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
2006 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $75.00 Sale $66
Quantity in Stock: 5
(95+ Points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is a dazzling wine. The aromatics alone are haunting. Sweet red cherries, rosemary, sage, tobacco and cedar are woven into a fabric of nearly indescribable elegance. Costanti’s straight Brunello can sometimes lack a little depth in its fruit, but not in 2006. This totally complete, harmonious Brunello is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. It is a stunner. As delicious as the wine is now, it really needs at least a handful of years for the firm tannins to start melting away. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031. When Andrea Costanti’s wines are on – as they are here – they are among the most enjoyable of the entire appellation. The slightly updated yet traditional style is immensely appealing. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011
2006 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $75.00 Sale $66
Quantity in Stock: 8
(96 Points) Fuligni’s 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is one of the stars of the vintage. Sweet floral notes weave through a core of expressive red fruit as the wine opens up in the glass. The 2006 shows incredible purity and finesse, most notably in its silky, polished tannins. This isn’t a blockbuster, but rather a wine that conquers through its sheer finesse. The wine spent 27 days on the skins. The volume and weight are influenced by the modern school, everything else is traditional all the way. The 2006 is the first vintage in which the percentage of French oak has been dropped to 25%, which has allowed the purity of the fruit to shine through to a degree that I have seldom, if ever, seen here. Rain during June naturally lowered yields and may partly explain why Fuligni’s 2006 is so phenomenal. Simply put, readers won’t want to miss this superb Brunello. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011
2006 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $54.00 Sale $47.52
Quantity in Stock: 10
They own about 9 hectares in Montalcino located in San Angelo in Colle region of Montalcino near Pieve di Santa Restituta. A very nuanced spice and a slight roasted character to the red cherry fruit very elegant and subtle but has lots of hints of black tar and truffle like nuance. A smooth and silky approach to the palate like silk on the tongue with some dry tannins showing on the finish and that rustic earthy character to Montalicino along with excellent freshness and a tangy note to the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
2006 Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $180.00 Sale $158.40
Quantity in Stock: 6
(97+ Points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is shaping up to be a modern-day legend. Sweet roses, hard candy, cherries and flowers make a stunning first impression. Based on its breathtaking inner perfume and sweetness this could easily be mistaken for a first-rate Barolo or Barbaresco, but then the tannins hit the palate with the much more friendly personality of Sangiovese. The delineation of aromas and flavors is head-spinning, while the finish is utterly seamless. This is a profound, breathtaking wine from Giulio Salvioni. Wow! Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031. Giulio Salvioni made what may very well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. The house style favors low yields, long macerations and aging in cask. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011
2006 Valdicava Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $133.00 Sale $99
Quantity in Stock: 16
Intense nose of crushed raspberry and wild strawberry jam like fruit with notes of raw meat and fine herbs. Big and chewy on the tongue with chalky dry tannins showing on the finish, this wine needs time. Big and chewy with layers of nuance on the finish, keep it open for at least 1 day before serving. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
What I Drank Yesterday:
You know it’s going to be a good day when it starts out with wines like these from Dana Estate. This is one of the hottest new cult producer from Napa producing KILLER single vineyard wines from three top vineyard sites. Dana means “generous spirit” and the Generous one behind this wine is HI Sange Lee, Korean owner dedicated to making only the best wines from these single vineyard sites. The winery has been constructed around the original stone walls built in 1883 by vintner H.W. Helms. Architect Howard Backen worked closely with winemaker Philippe Melka to design a winery that allowed the winemaking team the space and facilities to control all aspects of the vinification process from the time the grapes arrive from the vineyards through the time they finish aging in Dana's caves. These wines met with immediate critical acclaim with Robert Parker Jr. scoring the 2007 vintage of Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard (100 Points). The 2008 and 2007vintages although both outstanding are very different, 2008 have great purity of fruit and great structure more age worthy than 2007. The unfortunate thing about 2009, 2010 and 2011 is that they are all short crops with only 300-450 cases produced in these years.
2008 Dana Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard
Price: $336
This is the home vineyard in the Rutherford appellation, the old Moffett Vineyard planted in 1998 and 2000 depending on the block, all gravelly loam soils, the fruit here sees a little longer hang time as it is the west side of the valley. Dark chocolate and black cherry fruit on the nose very ripe and forward bouquet with a host of dark black earth and exotic spices, this wine has lovely intensity of fruit and compelling earthy aromas intermixed with toasty oak spice. Wow- a blockbuster on the palate with layers of flavors, an array of spice and fresh mineral nuance very balanced finish, even though this wine is big it still has exquisite balance and finishes fresh. This wine needs a bit of time but has all the right pieces. Finish 50+ (312 cases produced) Most Excellent +
2008 Dana Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard
Price: $336
This vineyard is too low for Howell Mountain and too high for the St. Helena appellation. The fruit profile here is darker with very low yields producing dense and powerful wine. Lots of fresh earth terroir, mountain fruit very dense and ripe with dark coco and espresso like nuance very complex and deep. This wine has excellent concentration and depth of flavors with bittersweet chocolate, very nuanced and wonderful balance of acidity and a long seamless finish, lots of terroir showing through the finish. Finish 60+ (291 Cases produced) KILLER
The third vineyard, Hershey up on Howell Mountain, only produced 28 cases- so none to taste this year.
I am always ready for some bubbles, one of the best ways to start out the day. Lanson is the #2 selling champagne in the UK and has a 250 year history but is still relatively unknown in this country. I love the bold style of this Champagne and am glad to have these wines on my shelf as I would like to take them home and drink them!
NV Lanson Brut Champagne Black Label
Price: $42.75
A good amount of toasty brioche like notes to the apple and lemon citrus fruit with a hint of ginger spice and again a nice amount of toasty brioche chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier a blend aged for three years. Smooth creamy mousee with a rich ripe apple and plum like fruit on the tongue tingly acidity and a long finish with notes of chalk like mineral. Finish 40+ Excellent +
1999 Lanson Blanc de Blancs Noble Cuvee Champagne Brut
Price: $172.50
Vanilla crème, almond and candied ginger notes to the quince and plum like fruit notes of fresh bread dough also nice complexity on the nose here. Aged 5 years on the lees, 100% Chardonnay, very smooth and creamy on the tongue like satin on the tongue. A good amount of concentrated fruit, quince and lemon drop candy showing on the finish along with that brioche and vanilla spice notes. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
NV Lanson Rose Brut Champagne
Price: $52.50
A blend of 53% PN the rest Chardonnay and 15% PM , they add 3% red from Bouzy, aged 3 years on the lees. Raspberry, strawberry and plum like fruit with notes of rose petals and a light briny note. A tangy rose with light red berry fruit raspberry and strawberry like fruit, nice freshness and a smooth creamy mousse very fresh on the finish, a slight briny note on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent +
NV Lanson Rose Brut Noble Cuvee Champagne
Price: $131.25
A longer period of aging on the lees with this bottling and 100% Grand Cru rated vineyard sites go into this. Jolly rancher strawberry candy and quince like fruit on the nose with hints of red licorice spice. A bit more concentrated and rich with a creamier mousse and a long finish notes of chalk and again a slight briny quality to the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
Our new friend from Jean Luc Colombo, Laure Colombo the next generation was in to show off her family's wines. We had a great tasting with Laure’s father Jean Luc last year and it is good to see that they next generation is interested in carrying on the family tradition. Laure was nice enough to join us for our Southern Rhone Tasting at the end of last month and our tasters enjoyed meeting her and learning about the wines of the Rhone Valley. Although Jean Luc Colombo is the leading flag bearer from the tiny Cornas region of the Northern Rhone, the family also makes wines from the South as well.
2011 Jean Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rose
Price: $12.75
Fresh and fruity bouquet with pretty floral notes strawberry and red cherry fruit, this rose comes from near Marselles this is where Jean Luc goes to fish, mostly Syrah spicy in the blend and the rest is Mourvedre fresh. Fresh and clean rose with a nice amount of plum ripe cherry and plum like fruit very fresh and clean in the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good
2010 Jean Luc Colombo Cotes Du Rhone Les Abeilles Blanc
Price: $12.75
For every bottle sold they give 4% of the wholesale price to research why the bees are disappearing. Clairette freshness, bitterness this is what this varietal lends to the blend and Rousanne blend very fresh and clean on the nose pear and white flowers very pretty. Nice fruit on the palate pear and green apple tree fruit, a short and simple finish notes of wet stone like mineral nuance. Finish 30+ Very Good
2010 Jean Luc Colombo Cotes Du Rhone Les Abeilles Rouge
Price: $12.75
The law just changed where Grenache is now the highest percentage of the blend, this is equal parts, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, a fruity and spicy wine with a very fruity bouquet plums and cherries with a hint of fresh flowers and a touch of dark spice. Very fresh and fruity on the tongue but with very nice balance soft tannins very refreshing style of red light pepper spice and a hint of animal on the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good
2009 Jean Luc Colombo Chateauneuf Du Pape Les Batavelles
Price: $45.50
A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre in equal parts. Laure says that grenache is becoming harder to grow as the heat summation levels are higher the sugars raise higher than the phenolic ripeness of the skins. Has a bit of an animal, black earth and mineral nuance to the fresh berry pie like fruit with notes of pepper spice and some fresh herbs. A good amount of fresh fruit herbs and dried floral nuance on the finish along with a touch of black pepper spice lovely balance here on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent
2009 Jean Luc Colombo Cornas Terres Brulees
Price: $49.50
Burnt Earth as the name refers. A blend of 20 different plots of vineyards with vines from 15 years old to 50-60 years old, 100% Syrah aged 2 years in barrel not very much new 1/4 in this cuvee. Lots of black plum and black cherry fruit with dark spices and fresh earth soy and some animal notes with some savory herbs, nice complexity on the nose. 2009 a great vintage and better suited for the South than the North, 2010 more elegant and balanced, hot days and cool nights, nice juicy black plum and cherry fruti on the tongue with silky smooth tannins and a wonderful lift and freshness even though it has lovely forward fruit. Finish 45 Excellent +
2009 Jean Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvee
Price: $90
Very steep slopes all granite soils very different from the southern Rhone, Juniper Olive trees, thyme very different foliage than the rest of the Rhone. The She wolf because this is made by the mother. Fresh herbs and some meaty gamey like aromas to the black plum and black berry fruit with a good hand of fresh earth. A chunky wine on the palate with firm tannins with a forward and fruity nature to this vintage, the focus is on the manly game and fresh plowed earth a healthy dose of minerality on the finish, very nice freshness and balance. Finish 45+ Most Excellent
2009 Jean Luc Colombo Cornas Les Ruchets
Price: $90
More powerful and a bigger wine than the more feminine a very pretty nose focusing more on the floral and elegant style of Shiraz with hints of dark spice and a slight leathery note. A bigger and more masculine style of wine with a nice amount of leathery gamey nuance to the black plum and black cherry fruit dark and a nice hand of spice through the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent +
