2012 Vintage Brunello di Montalcino Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar

Friday, May 12, 2017 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 1526 times.

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"Knockin’ out windows and learnin’ down doors,
Drinkin’ half-gallons and callin’ for more.
Drinkin’ wine m@@@@@@"
-- Yes, a song from the 40s had serious swears in it!

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This is our annual Brunello event to showcase the newest releases from Italy's most famous wine region and the greatest expression of Sangiovese on the Earth.

These wines are by law released after 5 years and the new vintage is just starting to reach the US shores. 

Brunello di Montalcino is one of the greatest wines of Italy and some would argue that it is one of the greatest wines on the planet.  This is one of the only places that produces compelling examples of the Sangiovese grape in 100% varietal form.

We have been blessed with quite a few outstanding vintages over the last decade with 2002 and 2003 being the only two lackluster efforts.  The 2012 vintage has being touted as even better than the highly touted 2010 harvest but the production was off at 15% less than normal for most producers because of the drought.  Tonight we will have some of our favorite houses Riserva Brunello di Montalcino on hand this evening like: Valdicava, Canalicchio di Sopra, Ciacci Piccolomini and more...

 

Join us as we experience the latest releases from some of our favorite producers.  Wine Watch Catering's Toni Lampasone will be making a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines, this is a sit down tasting and there are only 24 spaces available.  The fee for this event is $105 + tax, for Reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

 

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2012 Brunello Di Montalcino Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar
Friday, May 12th
7:30pm

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2012 La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $52.50   Sale $46.20     Case $536

(91 Points) "Sangiovese can be very expressive and perfumed in a warm vintage, and you notice that here with the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino. The wine shows added intensity in terms of both bouquet and appearance. This Brunello is dark and richly saturated in color. Bright aromas of ripe cherry and blackberry drive those bold primary aromas. Silky and subdued tannins contribute to the wine's understated texture and mild persistence. The wine ages in oak barrel of various sizes for 25 months. Some 23,000 bottles are produced. " The Wine Advocate

 

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2012 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $48.75   Sale $42.90     Case $498

(91 Points) "The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Vallocchio is an elaborate Sangiovese with thick layers of dark fruit. The bouquet shifts into first gear thanks to dark cherry and dried blackberry. Second gear is marked by spice, tobacco and barbecue smoke. The high gears show oak influences with firm tannins and rich consistency. This wine needs a few more years to find balance." The Wine Advocate

 

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2012 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $60.00   Sale $52.80
Quantity in Stock: 5

(96 points)  Cherry, leather and iron notes mark this suave, elegant red. A bit reticent now, but the fruit is fresh and long on the finish. The dense tannins leave a mouthcoating impression, but this opens up beautifully over a few hours. Best from 2021 through 2035. (BS, Web-2016)  Wine Spectator

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Casanova Di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino 2012                
Price: $66.00   Sale $58.08     Case $674

(93 Points) "Casanova di Neri is one of the shining stars of Montalcino. Each successive vintage released brings us renewed understanding of the focus and the dedication demonstrated by the father and son team that operates this estate. The winemaking style is impeccable and elaborate. There's a higher degree of texture and richness on display, and this is not often the case with Sangiovese. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino opens to thick layers of dark fruit, mocha, spice, leather, cigar box and pipe tobacco. A distant note of dried fruit or blackberry confit adds softness and sweetness. Give this wine a few more years to flesh out and integrate. " The Wine Advocate -

 

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Ciacci Brunello di Montalcino 2012
Price: $64.25   Sale $56.54     Case $656

(94 Points) "Wow. I love the texture and beauty of this young Brunello. Medium to full body with a dense and tightly compacted palate. Dried cherry light cedar and chocolate. It goes on for minutes. Gorgeous now. Excellent acid fruit balance, but will improve with age." James Suckling -

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Mocali Brunello di Montalcino 2012                      
Price: $48.00   Sale $42.24     Case $490

(90 Points) "Opening to a bright ruby color and thin consistency, the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna delle Raunate is a good near-term wine to enjoy with hearty pasta dishes or grilled meats. The wine has the natural acidity and linearity to pair with home cooked foods of that caliber. Like many Brunellos made in 2012, this wine is thin, lean and streamlined in terms of mouthfeel." The Wine Advocate -

 

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2012 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $87.50   Sale $77.00
Quantity in Stock: 12

(95 Points) "Loads of balsamic aromas and flavors-juniper, rosemary, thyme, olive-along with cherry, sanguine and tobacco notes are the hallmarks of this intense red. Well-integrated and complex, building to a long aftertaste. Best from 2012 through 2035." Wine Spectator

 

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2012 Valdicava Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $

(94 Points) "Valdicava represents its own school within the greater Brunello philosophy. This estate (under proprietor Vincenzo Abbruzzese) crafts contemporary and modern wines with noticeable density and ever-present aromatic intensity. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino reveals a dark and inky appearance with bright ruby highlights that break through the background darkness with brilliance. The nose is generous and robust with dark cherry fruit, plum, Indian spice, mocha and espresso bean. These elements are stitched together with seamless transitions. Despite that grand approach, Sangiovese's prickly and often nervous personality shines through nonetheless. The variety adds delicate berry nuances and bright acidity that give this wine profound depth. This is a very well-made wine that promises a long aging future." The Wine Advocate

 

Menu

Parmesan Reggiano

Thyme Porcini crème Tagliolini with a mix of sautéed field mushrooms

Goat Cheese Crusted Lamb Chops with sage Lyonnaise potato

biscotti with Vin Santo

 

 

This is a sit down tasting and there are only 24 spaces available.  The fee for this event is $105 + tax, for Reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

 

A bit about the 2012 vintage from one of the world’s leading authorities on Italian Wines, Antonio Galloni’s Vinous:

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Brunello di Montalcino: The 2012 Brunellos and 2011 Riservas

BY IAN D’AGATA | MARCH 1, 2017

Every once in a while, when visiting a specific wine region, I taste so many good bottles that I find myself thinking I might just turn in my author’s pen and start making wine (clearly, such dangerous thoughts last only a second or two before I come back to my senses). Most recently, this happened during my tastings of the 2012 Brunellos, when I tried one delicious example after another. Even more impressive, the 2012 vintage for Brunello stands out for its consistently high quality. I found more good to outstanding examples than in any past vintage and far fewer unfocused, unbalanced and high-alcohol wines.

 

Giacomo Bartolommei of Caprili

The News Is Practically All Good in 2012 Brunello

The 2012 Brunellos are characterized by impeccable balance, vibrant acidity and fine-grained tannins. They are not especially luscious or fleshy, but they are blessed with precise aromas and flavors of mainly red fruits, blood orange and minerals, and will prove very ageworthy. For the most part, the wines are also lower in alcohol than the 2011s are. In ultimate analysis, the 2012 Brunellos might best be viewed as sharing some of the same qualities offered by the 2006 (but with a less overbearing tannic structure) and the 2008 Brunellos (but with higher alcohol), although a few producers I spoke with believe that the 2012s are most reminiscent of the very fine 2004s (for my part, I think the 2012s are less powerful and tannic). The new set of releases is a much better better-balanced and more fruit-driven crop of wines than the 2011s. This superiority is further demonstrated by the fact that many more estates plan to produce Riserva bottlings from vintage 2012 than they did in 2011.

The most interesting aspect of the 2012 Brunellos is that they convey a cool-climate personality while in fact the vintage was characterized by anything but cool weather. A difficult growing season, 2012 was not just hot but also very dry. In the northern Montalcino sector of Pelagrilli and in the central-southwest section of Tavarnelle it didn’t rain practically from the end of April to the end of August. Other sections of Montalcino benefited from slightly more rain, but just barely. Unlike in 2011, however, the heat and drought started early in 2012, which enabled the vines to adapt, and so the grapes didn’t bake or overripen as they did the preceding summer when the scorching heatwave hit very hard and suddenly. Consequently, the grape bunches and berries were small in 2012 (on average, the berries weighed 1.2 grams instead of the more usual 1.6 to 1.8), and the crop was the lowest in a decade.

Clearly, this naturally occurring yield reduction played an important role in the genesis of the many successful Brunellos I tasted even from those estates that are not exactly known for their high EEE values (Elbow Energy Expenditure: my term) in the vineyards. In fact, 2012 production volumes were consistently down by 15% to 30% in Montalcino. In order to protect their fruit against the effects of heat and drought, most estates avoided de-leafing and reduced grape thinning. Others harvested roughly a week earlier than usual, and still others picked their fruit in two or three different batches—or more—in order to begin with blends of grapes that offered a range of total acidity and phenolic ripeness levels. Rain finally arrived on August 30, and again on September 4 and 5, with the latter precipitation of paramount importance in saving the vintage.

 

Entry to Casanova di Neri

The end result in 2012 is a bevy of refined, classic Brunellos that will repay cellaring. Unlike in 2011, when the northern, cooler and highest sections of the Montalcino production zone fared best, quality was more consistent throughout Montalcino in 2012. Clearly, truly low-lying vineyards and the southern section of Montalcino were also at a disadvantage in 2012, and they were even worse off when planted with young vines. Not surprisingly, older vines fared better in the drought conditions of 2012, as they are equipped with more extensive root systems that can reach deep for water. For the most part, 2012’s less successful Brunellos are marred by green, unripe polyphenols or excessive alcohol levels. Some wines also display an intrusive savory quality due to the lowering of the water table, which led to wines marked by saline (not mineral) notes that may not be for everyone. However, as I stated at the outset, the 2012 vintage is a very good to outstanding one in Montalcino. No, I don’t believe it is a year that will be remembered for 98- and 99-point wines but it is without question a source of excellent, well-balanced wines, many of which are youthfully tight. These latter wines are also quite likely to expand in bottle and to show the complexity that they only hint at today. For this reason, I have made more extensive use of + marks following my scores than in many past years. In ultimate analysis, if you liked the 2004s and 2006 Brunellos, two other mostly outstanding vintages, you will most likely be very happy with the 2012s as well.

The 2011 Riservas: If You Must...

With few exceptions (Biondi-Santi or Poggio di Sotto, for example), Brunello Riserva wines are not all they are cracked up to be, as the long time they spend in wood (36 months or more at some estates) tends to dry out their fruit. It was no different in 2011. Moreover, in 2011 the very ripe, low-acid grapes had a natural tendency to make wines that will evolve faster than usual. Most of the 2011 Brunello Riservas I tasted this year are light and orange-tinged in color (paler than many 2012s, in fact) and show rather soft, diffuse aromas and flavors. Many are marred by gritty tannins.

Read more at: http://www.vinous.com/articles/brunello-di-montalcino-the-2012-brunellos-and-2011-riservas-mar-2017

 

 

ALL of the Brunello di Montalcino in the store!!!
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2011 Casanova Di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
Price: $111.00    Your Price: $97.68
Quantity in Stock: 3

(95 Points) "This is another fabulous wine from Giacomo Neri. The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is a deeply layered expression with bold tones of dark fruit that are softened and enhanced by spice, leather, tobacco and balsam herb. The wine is very beautiful and polished with slightly less depth and complexity compared the outstanding (100 point) vintage that precedes it. Despite the vintage variation, this is a wine of enormous pedigree and importance. It is generous and confident with a presentation that offers purity, intensity and persistence. " The Wine Advocate

 

2011 Castiglion Del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $44.25    Your Price: $38.94
Quantity in Stock: 52

(92 Points) "Sporting a new label design, the 2011 Brunello di Montalcino represents a philosophical divide from previous vintages. In the past, Castiglion del Bosco was focused on soft and immediate Brunellos for near-term consumption. Despite the warm conditions of the 2011 growing season, this wine shows far more elegance, nuance and grace than I expected. This massive property is comprised of various vineyard sites for more blending possibilities. The bouquet is redolent of wild berry, cola and grilled herb. The tannins are silky but long in terms of persistence. " The Wine Advocate

 

2011 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $79.50    Your Price: $69.96
Quantity in Stock: 12

2011 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino (375ml)
Price: $44.25    Your Price: $38.94
Quantity in Stock: 21

(95 points) "The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is a gorgeous, striking wine. Sweet macerated cherries, tobacco, licorice, spice and mint are all laced together in a super-expressive, resonant Brunello endowed with real class. Open-knit and seductive, the 2011 will drink well with minimal cellaring. This is an especially delicate, sensual Brunello that speaks to the finesse that is possible on the northern side of Montalcino, and a terrific example of the year at its very best. With time in the glass, the 2011 starts to shut down, which may be a very good sign of its potential longevity. In any event, the 2011 Brunello is a winner. Proprietor Francesco Ripaccioli gave the 2011 a bit less time in oak than is customary. Production was just 28,000 bottles as opposed to the 50,000 bottles that were produced between the straight Brunello and Riserva in 2010 (there is no Riserva in 2011.)" Antonio Galloni

 

2011 Casanova Di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $65.00    Your Price: $57.20
Quantity in Stock: 4

(92 Points) "Giacomo Neri has produced a very approachable wine in this warm vintage. The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is plump and juicy with loads of dark fruit and mild spice at the back. It doesn't have the depth or complexity of the gorgeous 2010 vintage, but the wine does a very good job presenting the main traits you look for in Brunello. The fruit is lively and the acidity gives the wine a sense of buoyancy and brightness. The tannins are very well integrated. It doesn't reach Brunello greatness, but it is a good Brunello. " The Wine Advocate

 

2011 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $62.00    Your Price: $54.56
Quantity in Stock: 5

(94 points)  The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous. In 2011, proprietor Paolo Bianchini bottled just one Brunello. That commitment to quality comes through loud and clear. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco and licorice all flesh out in an effortless, incredibly inviting wine. The warmth of the vintage and the natural generosity of these vineyards in Castelnuovo is evident, yet the 2011 possesses remarkable balance to match all of that intensity. I don't expect the 2011 to make old bones, but is gorgeous today. Readers should expect a flamboyant, decadently full-throttle wine built on voluptuousness and generous, racy fruit. Bianchini gave the 2011 three full years in cask. (AG) (2/2016) Vinous

 

2011 Col D'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $54.00    Your Price: $47.52
Quantity in Stock: 4

Ruby with violet hues. Ample, complex with huge notes of ripe red berry fruits, and plum well balanced with the spice from the oak.Well-structured with soft ripe tannins perfectly balanced with the notes originating from the long ageing in the wood. Full and persistent aftertaste.

 

2011 Pian Delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $82.25    Your Price: $72.38
Quantity in Stock: 14

A brilliant ruby red with garnet highlights in color, the aromatic impact of the wine is warm and complex with spicy and balsamic notes which emerge along with raspberry, cherry, and ripe plum fruit. The palate is savory with elegant and silky tannins, the character is that of great Sangiovese, both important and highly pleasurable.

 

2011 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Rennina
Price: $190.50    Your Price: $167.64
Quantity in Stock: 6

(94 Points) The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is made from a blend of fruit from three different vineyard parcels. The sites total 25 hectares, with 15 located next to the church, or the Pieve, after which this estate is named. The sites have southwest exposures and different soil types. That flexibility explains the smooth and seamless bouquet offered by this wine. Compared to the single vineyard Sugarille expression, Rennina is more open and immediate. The wine presents fleshy and beautifully plump aromas of red cherry, dried blackberry and exotic spice with tobacco and chocolate at the back. - Wine Advocate

 

2011 Pertimali Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $60.00    Your Price: $52.80
Quantity in Stock: 10

(94 Points) Floral and refined, this opens with alluring scents of violet, iris, perfumed berry, earth and a whiff of pressed powder. The savory, elegant palate offers up juicy wild cherry, raspberry, truffle, anise and white pepper framed in a network of silky tannins. It's already extremely accessible and will offer fine drinking pleasure for the near and mid-term. Wine Enthusiast

 

2011 Villa Le Prata Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $58.25    Your Price: $51.26
Quantity in Stock: 12

(93 Points) "I love the balance and fruit to this. The medium to full palate and dried-fruit and honey character follow through to a fine tannin backbone and freshness on the finish. This Brunello producer is on a roll." 10/15. James Suckling

 

2010 Capanne Ricci Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $65.00    Sale Price: $50.00
Quantity in Stock: 12

 

2010 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $175.00    Your Price: $154.00
Quantity in Stock: 4

(98 points) Aromas of lilac, dark berry and sandalwood follow through to a full body, with fine tannins and an intense and savory finish. Very intense and very long. Succulent. Amazing balance and depth to this red. It's so beautiful to taste now but it will be much better in five to ten years. A triumph. (12/2014) James Suckling

 

2010 Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $67.50    Your Price: $59.40
Quantity in Stock: 3

This is an incredible vintage in montalcino with a solid core of black cherry berry fruit, light smokky notes, licorice spice and black truffle, wonderful complexity on the nose. Rich and layered on the tongue with big tannins but they are round and ripe with a host of earth, spice and a firm hand of acidity holding things together through the finish. This wine needs some time but it has all the right stuff and in proportion. Most Excellent

 

2010 Il Palazzone Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $65.00    Your Price: $57.20
Quantity in Stock: 17

Richard Parsons is the owner and he is currently the president of the LA Clippers, was the CEO of Citigroup and Time Warner.  This wine has a classic brunello bouquet of fine herbs, sage, light red berry fruit, wild strawberry, insence, spice and dried floral highlights.  Nice concentration and depth of flavors on the palate, lots of zedsty red berry fruit, a very elegant style of Brunello with a long finish echoing the floral/herbs and spice from the nose through the finish.  Finish 45+    Excellent +

 

2010 L'Aietta Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $75.00    Your Price: $66.00
Quantity in Stock: 9

Only one hectare is used for the production of this Brunello and is located on a steep hillside barely walkable, let alone accessible by tractor. All of the production is done by hand.

 

2010 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $70.00    Your Price: $61.60
Quantity in Stock: 7

(94 points)   Donatella Cinelli Colombini's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino makes a big and pleasurable impact on all the senses. First, it hits the nose with a wonderful medley of ripe, dark fruit, spice, tar, tobacco, leather and dried herbs. The wine is impeccably made and the quality of fruit is outstanding. Ultimately, your patronage of this brand depends on whether you like this bold, softer style. If you do, this Brunello delivers satisfaction in spades. Fleshy oak tones of cinnamon and clove round off the finish. It is extremely soft and smooth to the touch. This wine can be enjoyed in the near or long-term.  eRobertParker.com #217, Feb 2015

 

2010 Poggio Antico Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG
Price: $95.00    Your Price: $83.60
Quantity in Stock: 12

(97 Points) "A beautifully balanced, subtle Brunello with plum, berry, spice and fresh-mahogany character. Full to medium body, fine tannins and a long finish. Very intense and harmonious. This is always a beauty. Drink or hold." James Suckling -

 

2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $150.00    Your Price: $132.00
Quantity in Stock: 5

(99 points)  Absolutely stunning aromas of nectarine, orange peel, sweet black cherry, plums and flowers. Licorice and mushroom It's full body, with layers of ultra-fine tannins and hints of tangy acidity. Such beautiful length and beauty to this wine. It's powerful and structured yet shows a gorgeous finesse and length. Truly wondrous. So long and refined. The texture is phenomenal. Better in 2016. James Suckling  (12/ 2014)

 

2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna Del Piano Riserva
Price: $320.00    Your Price: $281.60
Quantity in Stock: 11

(100 points)  A wine with superb finesse and depth. So subtle and understated yet powerful and long. The tannin intensity is amazing. It just builds like a massive wave. Superb. Give this time in the bottle. The length is endless. Better in 2018. (JS) (10/2015) James Suckling

 

2010 Villa Le Prata Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $60.75    Your Price: $53.46
Quantity in Stock: 8

(94 points) Incredible aromatics here with smoked meat, toffee, light prune, dried cherry and dried flower. Full body, soft, velvety tannins and a long, sexy finish. Wonderful depth and intensity. Big wine from a little producer. Try in 2017. (1/2015) James Suckling

 

2009 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $65.00    Your Price: $57.20
Quantity in Stock: 7

(92 points)  The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino comes across as thinner than past vintages but well-balanced thanks to the high altitude positioning of the vineyards. It opens to a beautiful garnet color with bright highlights and segues to red rose, licorice, moist earth and delicate forest berry. There’s a slightly understated quality to this wine that works well against the riper sensation inherent to this vintage. Its drinking window should start soon and last five to ten years. Drink: 2016-2023.  Wine Advocate #211 Feb 2014

 

2009 Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $180.00    Your Price: $158.40
Quantity in Stock: 6

The estate was established with the 1981 vintage by former pilot Diego Molinari, and from 1982 onwards they have performed flawlessly. Daniel Thomases, the senior critic of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, rates the estate as closest to Case Basse di Soldera, the most expensive and sought after Brunello on the market. And like Soldera, the wines are aged in the "old style" with Slavonian tonneaux instead of the fashionable French barriques. The "Commander," as this pilot is commonly called, creates a consistent style of pure elegance backed with power. These impeccably made Brunellos are an IWM favorite.

 

2009 Valdicava Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Del Piano Riserva
Price: $262.50    Your Price: $231.00
Quantity in Stock: 19

(95 Points)  The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is an expressive and articulate wine that speaks highly of Sangiovese and the Montalcino territory. The wine offers a pristine narrative of both grape and place with crystalline aromas of cherry, blackberry, spice, leather, smoke and Mediterranean herb. The bouquet peels back one delicious layer at a time. The mouthfeel is similarly successful with deep concentration and complexity. It imparts soft layers of dried fruit and velvety tannins. Endnotes of espresso bean and toasted almond add length and momentum. There's even spot of chewy sweetness that is typical of the warm 2009 vintage.  Vincenzo Abbruzzese's Valdicava presents a fantastic tag team of wines representing the 2009 and 2010 vintages respectively. Both wines are delicious although I will note the earthy-gamy note in the base Brunello that prevented me from scoring it higher. My hesitation is that it might become more pronounced with aging.  eRobertParker.com #217, Feb 2015

Wine Watch Score:  This is a single vineyard wine made from the oldest vines on the property, there are only a few hundred cases of this wine produced and only in outstanding vintages.  The 2009's are a bit forward and for Valdicava that is a good thing because these wines are usually very backward and need a lot of time in the cellar so a forward vintage means that you can enjoy them much sooner.  A dazzeling array of cherry and blackberry fruit, liqueur like in richness with an array of exotic spices, leather, dried meats, smoke and a mix of Mediterranean herbs oin the nose.  A good amount of fruit showing here on the tongue and a lot of tannins here as well, ripe and round with a full hand of that spice and herbs from the nose through the finish along with tongue tingly minerality leading into a long layered finish.  This wine still needs tim but has all the right stuff in proper proportion.  Finish 50+  KILLER

 

2010 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne
Price: $90.00    Your Price: $79.20
Quantity in Stock: 19

(93 points)  Representing a special selection of fruit, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne is a dark and well-extracted wine with dark tones of cherry and blackberry backed by leather, tobacco and tar. The fruit on display is sweet and plump and you definitely get a sense of the wine's youth and its potential to evolve. Donatella Cinelli Colombini has done a very good job of matching her bolder winemaking style to the high quality of fruit on display here. Plush endnotes of sweet spice, cinnamon and toasted vanilla give the wine an international twist. I found Prime Donne to be slightly less expressive than the base Brunello from the same vintage. The wine needs a little longer to open.  eRobertParker.com #217, Feb 2015

 

2010 Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $67.50    Your Price: $59.40
Quantity in Stock: 4

(94 points) Savory and seductively spicy, the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a beautifully expressive wine with loads of aromatic intensity that ranges from ethereal balsam herb to cured meat to dark berry fruit. Earthy tones and crushed minerals fill in the back, but the main part of the bouquet is dominated by rich fruit. The results are truly stunning with meaningful and long persistency on the palate. This Brunello is already at a good point in its evolution and is already very generous. You can probably start to enjoy it following three or four years of cellar aging. Le Potazzine gets its name from the little birds that migrate to this corner of Tuscany throughout the year. The Gorelli family farms various sites including a vineyard in the Sant'Angelo in Colle subzone located in the southern part of the appellation. (2/2015) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

2009 Fossacolle Brunello di Montlcino
Price: $75.00    Sale Price: $60.00
Quantity in Stock: 11

 

2007 Canalicchio di Sopra Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $150.00    Your Price: $132.00
Quantity in Stock: 6

Around 500 cases produced, very concentrated and rich on the nose with red cherry liqueur like fruit fresh earth and fine herbs with incense . A very elegant style with lots of structure very fresh and savory very classic style old world with fresh earth and dried mushroom and a potpourri of dried floral nuance through the finish.      Most Excellent +

 

2007 Ciacci Piccolomini Pianrosso Riserva Brunello Di Montalcino MAGNUM
Price: $324.00    Your Price: $285.12
Quantity in Stock: 9

(94 points) The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d’Oro is big, rich and seamless. The wine had just been bottled the day of my visit, but it is very promising, even at this early stage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. Paolo Bianchini’s 2007 Brunelli are quite a bit better than the 2006s. One of the recent evolutions at Ciacci has been Bianchini’s desire to make an entry-level Brunello that is more affordable than his wines have been in the past, hence a greater separation in terms of quality and price between the straight Brunello and the Pianrosso. The Brunelli undergo alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in steel, and are aged in cask. Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012

 

2007 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $58.50    Sale Price: $45.00
Quantity in Stock: 6

(91 Points) A big, rich style, boasting plum, soy and tobacco aromas and flavors. Features good acidity and firm tannins that bode well for development, with just a touch of heat on the finish. Best from 2014 through 2028. 400 cases imported. “BS Wine Spectator Issue: Jul 31, 2012

 

2007 Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello Pianrosso
Price: $75.00    Your Price: $66.00
Quantity in Stock: 4

 

2007 Valdicava Madonna Del Piano Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $255.00    Your Price: $224.40
Quantity in Stock: 4

(95 points) The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano looks to be a modern-day version of the 1990. Layers of seamless fruit grace the palate in this large-scaled, dramatic Brunello. The 2007 boasts remarkable intensity to match its undeniably sexy personality. Although the 2007 will require at least several years in bottle to blossom, the relatively soft tannins will make it more pleasurable than the 2006 at the outset. Both vintages will be fascinating to follow over the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. Vincenzo Abbruzzese has been one of Montalcino’s most consistent producers over the last few years, an impression that was reinforced during my visit earlier this year. I tasted every wine in cask, and they were all terrific. I also had a chance to revisit the 1988 and 1990 Madonna del Pianos, both of which have aged beautifully in bottle. Readers who want to learn more about the estate and their wines will want to check out my video interview with Vincenzo Abbruzzese on www.erobertparker.com Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012

 

2006 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $96.00    Your Price: $84.48
Quantity in Stock: 7

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 Valdicava Madonna Del Piano Riserva Brunello Di Montalcino MAGNUM
Price: $600.00    Your Price: $528.00
Quantity in Stock: 6

(96 points) The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is a huge, towering wine. Waves of vibrant, intensely perfumed fruit hit the palate, backed up by the firm, broad tannins of the vintage. Violets, spices, new leather and licorice develop in the glass, yet the 2006 remains painfully young and stubborn. Clean mineral notes frame a blast of dark cherries, plums and camphor on the palate-staining finish. Readers will need to be especially patient, but the 2006 Madonna del Piano is stacking up to be one of the all-time greats from proprietor Vincenzo Abbruzzese. I followed the wine over the course of two days, during which it continued to improve while seeming to gain freshness and structure. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012

Wine Watch Review:  Very complex bouquet of dried porcini, black tar and licorice spice damp dark earth dark coco and wild strawberry jam like fruit very concentrated and rich bouquet with lots of minerality.  A bit musty on the tongue with firm tannins here also this wine seems a bit corked with some of that terroir but that musty nuance is a bit more prevalent on the palate.  The second bottle was perfect and a candidate for wine of the night.  Without the musty note all the other nuance in the wine was really singing.  The tannins are a bit overwhelming at the moment but this wine has layers of flavor and intense concentration and depth of flavors.  Finish 50 +  KILLER

 

2005 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $120.00    Your Price: $105.60
Quantity in Stock: 31

Fine herbs and exotic dried floral notes to the nose red berry fruit cherry and old leather notes. Smooth and round tannins on the tongue with a nice amount of earth and good freshness with dried floral and lunch meat notes on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent

 

2005 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $78.00    Your Price: $68.64
Quantity in Stock: 22

A nice amount of earth on the nose here porcini mushroom light red berry fruit sour cherry and wild strawberry. Big and chewy but still rounded at the edges bright acidity a very well balanced and elegant wine with the nuance in the nose echoing through the finish, notes of dried herbs. Finish 45 Excellent

 

2005 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $169.00    Your Price: $148.72
Quantity in Stock: 10

Lunch meat and old leather notes with a good amount of fresh plowed earth minerality and wild strawberry red cherry fruit, porcini. Excellent concentration and depth of flavors here with fine tannins and excellent freshness still a baby a bit dry on the finish, this wine needs some time but has all the right stuff. Finish 50 Most Excellent

 

2004 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Magnum
Price: $258.00    Your Price: $227.04
Quantity in Stock: 3

(92 Points) Dried violets, berries and hints of vanilla follow through to a full body, with racy, silky tannins and a tanned leather, berry aftertaste. Chewy. Needs bottle age to mellow. Better than the 2001. Best after 2010. 2,800 cases made. –JS Wine Spectator Issue: Web Only - 2009

 

2004 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva
Price: $159.00    Your Price: $139.92
Quantity in Stock: 4

(93+ Points) The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is built on a core of elegance and refinement rather than the sheer power that typically characterizes the estate’s wines. This is a sensual, layered Brunello that only gradually reveals its seductive charm. Sweet, silky tannins support a core of ripe dark fruit all the way through to the sublime, delicate finish. Readers looking for a blockbuster 2004 Riserva should look elsewhere, but those in search of the elegant side of Brunello will find much to admire here. That said; the wine gained quite a bit of volume and depth with air, so it will be interesting to see where things go from here. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.  Canalicchio di Sopra - Ripaccioli seems to be making better and better wines with each passing vintage. The estate’s Rosso and Brunellos are sourced from vineyards in the Canalicchio and Montosoli districts, both on the northern side of Montalcino, and are aged predominantly in cask.  Wine Advocate #188, Apr 2010

 

2004 Pietranera Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $75.00    Sale Price: $60.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

 

2003 Canailicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 375ml
Price: $36.75    Your Price: $32.34
Quantity in Stock: 21

Wine Watch Review:  An amazing array of roasted meat, fresh plowed earth coco and spice, black cherry and porchini mushroom. A good amount of ripe black cherry fruit on the tongue very balanced and fresh with an array of fresh earth minerality and dark coco to the finish. Finish 40+ EXCELLENT +

 

2003 Fanti Tenuta San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $90.00    Sale Price: $70.00
Quantity in Stock: 7

 

2003 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $113.25    Your Price: $99.66
Quantity in Stock: 4

Thick black cherry wild strawberry fruit very ripe and seductive aromas flowers and porcini and fresh earth. Very fresh and bright red berry fruit on the tongue with layers of spice minerals and coco spice. Very forward and drinkable but also has the stuffing to be cellared for a decade. Finish 45 Most Excellent

 

2001 Tenuta di Sesta Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Price: $90.00    Sale Price: $75.00
Quantity in Stock: 2

 

2001 Marchesi de Frescobaldi Riserva Brunello di Montalcino CastelGiocondo Ripe al Convento
Price: $145.00    Sale Price: $110.00
Quantity in Stock: 3

(90 points)  The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento is a richly-flavored, full-bodied offering loaded with dark cherries, vanilla, smoke, cola and sweet toasted oak. It may not be the most complex Brunello out there, but it does offer an attractive, easygoing personality, outstanding length and sweet, silky tannins on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2017.  eRobertParker.com #173, Oct 2007

 

1999 Fanti Tenuta San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $139.00    Your Price: $122.32
Quantity in Stock: 3

(91 points)  The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino opens to evident oak tones, thick extraction and a masculine personality. The bouquet is redolent of pressed rose, crushed flower, licorice, cassis and candied cherry. The wine really pops and snaps in the mouth thanks to the almost crunchy freshness it presents on the finish. That natural acidity goes a long way to keep the wine young at heart. Drink: 2014-2024.  Wine Advocate #211, Feb 2014

 

1999 Valdicava Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna
Price: $355.00    Your Price: $312.40
Quantity in Stock: 2

(96 Points) “Fantastic aromas of ripe fruit and coffee, with hints of plum and cedar. Full-bodied, with lovely, velvety tannins and a long, juicy finish. Big and glorious. The greatest wine ever from here. Best after 2006. 1,500 cases made. (JS)†Wine Spectator Buying Guide 5/15/05

 

1996 Canalicchio Di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino
Price: $120.00    Your Price: $105.60
Quantity in Stock: 6

(89 points) Canalicchio di Sopra's plum/ruby-colored 1996 Brunello di Montalcino exhibits some of the vintage's austerity along with a nicely layered mid-palate as well as aromas and flavors of coffee, soy, Asian spices, and roasted herbs and meats. Spicy, medium-bodied, angular, complex as well as cerebral, it will drink well for 12-15 years.  Wine Advocate #137 Oct 2001

 

1995 Canalicchio Di Sopra Riserva Brunello Di Montalcino
Price: $134.50    Your Price: $118.36
Quantity in Stock: 8

A classic example of Brunello with soft smooth tannins, this wine is now fully evolved with the classic black tar and truffle aromas along with a host of dried herbs, sage and rosemary.  The wine opened up nicely and revealed some pretty dried cherry fruit along with some meaty notes and dried flowers, everything in perfect balance today.  The wine finishes fresh and lively and with the right food this wine will really came alive, the fruit being on the undercard with the wine now at 19 years old.  You want to decanter this wine for 30 minutes and serve it with dinner or some reggiano parmesan cheese.  A classic vintage for Montacino and although it is fully mature, it has the balance to last another decade or more in your cellar.  Finish 45+  Most Excellent +

 

1994 Pieve Di Santa Restituta, Brunello Di Montalcino “Rennina”
Price: $139.00    Your Price: $122.32
Quantity in Stock: 3