Rosso
di Montalcino
Rosso
di Montalcino is produced from the exact same grape as Brunello.
It can be called the younger, or baby brother of Brunello, however it
has risen in stature step by step with Brunello and can now claim an
identity of its own. Rosso is not submitted to the long period of
maturation of Brunello. After ageing for 1 year, Rosso is released onto
the market, thus allowing producers an earlier return on their
investment. Around 3 million bottles annually are produced. A wine with
rich fruit flavours and often vigorous, on occasions it can rival its
big brother – the 87 and 89 vintages are fine examples.
Moscadello
di Montalcino
Certainly
the oldest wine produced around Montalcino, Moscadello was already
famous in the 1500’s when, among others, Pope Clement III had a liking
for the much prized sweet wine which was showered with praise from Paris
and London. The basic species of vine is white Moscato and the
typologies are still, sparkling and late harvested wines. Grown in the
horizontal spurred cordon with a high planting density, Moscato can
yield 100 quintals per hectare for still and sparkling wines, but only
50 quintals for the late harvested wine. For the late harvested wine the
grapes are harvested from the vine when they are almost dried out. A
small production of around 100,000 bottles annually is produced by a
handful of Montalcino vineyards.
Viticulture
Montalcino
covers a territory of some 24,000 hectares and has always been, and
still is today, an agricultural zone. It is impossible to know when the
roots of the first vines were planted on these hills, but it is well
documented that the cultivation of vines at Montalcino has always
produced extraordinary wines. Wine production here is an unbroken
tradition, records go back to before the 1400’s.
The Territory
24,362
hectares are characterised by a succession of hills penetrating one into
the other. Only about 8% of this territory is under vine. The remainder
is woods, olives, grain or pasture. There is practically no flat land
and the highest point is 667 metres asl. The Comune boundaries delineate
the production area, which can be divided into four zones, which
together form roughly the shape of a square. Each zone differs from the
other because of altitude and microclimate.
Geographical Zones
The
northeast, the lowest zone, is clayey marl of Pliocene origin. Evidence
that at one
time the sea covered this territory.
Rising,
we find soils of Eocene origin which are extraordinarily suited to
Sangiovese.
-
High
up, at the top most altitude, we find sandstone.
-
North
east
-
clayey marl
-
South
west – excellent soils and clays
-
South
east
- Marl and limestone.
The Climate
As
one would expect, the Mediterranean climate is advantageous for
Montalcino’s wines. Although it occasionally snows above 400 metres,
there is practically no fog and late frosts are extremely rare – or at
least, they rarely reach the altitude where the vineyards lie. Mount
Amiata protects Montalcino from sudden downpours and hailstorms which
are infrequent. Rainfall
is generally concentrated in May, October and November – but
not reliably so.
The Vine
Sangiovese
– this is the predominant dark variety which, in its many varieties,
produces
the red wines of Tuscany. From a clone of this vine, called
Sangiovese Grosso, Brunello is created. The crop system in Montalcino
is, but not exclusively, low horizontal spurred cordons. Feverish
pruning takes place in winter, and in early summer green pruning is
effected. Many vineyards thin out the grape bunches to reduce the yield
per plant which generates higher concentrations of sugar in the bunches
left on the vine. This action maintains a high level of quality for the
wine.
Harvest
is usually left as late as possible – the higher the altitude of the
vineyard, the later the harvest. The most critical time is mid September
to mid October, by which time the harvest is generally in. Picking is
done exclusively by hand and with a great deal of care and attention.
Fortune shines on Montalcino – it is rare or difficult to have a
really bad year and in the last decade 9 out of 10 harvests have been
good to excellent.
Making the Wine
The
harvested grapes are taken to the cellar for crushing which is
immediately followed by fermentation in cement or steel vats. The juice
stays in the vats in contact with the skins for around two weeks under a
very strictly controlled fermentation temperature. On the wisdom of the
winemaker, the must is frequently passed over the grape dregs and
decanted from vat to vat. This is a critical time because from this
process we could say that Brunello is born. The winemaker must assess
exactly what is happening to the wine, he must evaluate the various
characteristics which are developing, how the wine is maturing and
already he begins to judge the commercial properties and therefore, how
long he will leave this new wine to age in the wooden barrels.
Again,
on the wisdom of the winemaker, the wine is refined in bottles for just
a few or for many months, and this fining allows the wine to develop
complex perfumes and it begins, in its silent stillness, to develop
elegance and a velvet quality. Few wines have the ability to age like
Brunello, and fewer still have the longevity. Brunello ages for 4 years
before it is released onto the market. The winemaker may hold back some
Brunello and allow it to age for a further 1 year, releasing it the
following year as a Reserve Brunello di Montalcino.
Great Vintages
Everybody
wants to taste the very optimum Brunello. Each February, some five
months after harvest, a panel of experts assesses the previous harvest
and awards a star rating to the wine which is by then gently maturing in
the winemaker’s cellar. The experts who judge Brunello are not only
assessing the obvious characteristics, they are also obliged to test the
wine to ensure it has been made according to the strict regulations laid
down by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello. Each harvest is awarded a star
rating between 1 and 5.
The
wine which is star rated in February each year will not be available for
you to drink for another four years. A vintage of Brunello is released
onto the world market every January.
It
is a mistake however, to consider that a 3 star vintage is not going to
offer you a great wine. You must be the judge…for you are the ultimate
consumer, and the experts assess the wine on a range of characteristics
and regulations of less crucial interest to your palate. As well,
although the rating covers the whole harvest, obviously microclimates
within the territory play a part, as does the skill of the winemaker,
and in a 3 star harvest it is very probable that there will be optimum
Brunello.
1990
*****
1991
****
1992
**
1993
****
1994
****
1995
*****
1996
***
1997
*****
1998
****
1999
****
2000
***
2001
****
2002
**
2003
****
2004
*****
2005
****
2006
*****
2007
*****
2008
****
2009
****
At
the Table
Now
that you have purchased your Brunello di Montalcino you have a choice.
Will you drink it now, or will you keep it in your cellar? Each January,
when that year’s Brunello is released, it is ready to be served and
savoured. The wine will continue to improve if tasting is delayed, but
you must keep it in your cellar away from light and humidity, and
protect it from sudden changes in temperature.
If
you are ready to drink it now, never, ever shake the bottle. It is
recommended that you uncork the wine ahead of time. Some people
recommend several hours, but this is not always possible –
particularly if you are in a restaurant. Opening the wine early does
have a drawback because if it is too early then the wonderful bouquet
and diverse aromas may disappear! Whether at home, or in a
restaurant, Brunello di Montalcino should be gently and slowly decanted
into a crystal carafe.
As
for glasses, the recommendation is for crystal, transparent and tulip
shaped – with a largish bowl – and long stemmed. Again, the
recommendation is that each glass should be served less than half filled
to allow you to examine the bouquet and aroma.
Tasting
Hints
There
are no mysteries attached to tasting wine and not everyone is an expert.
A few simple guidelines. Brunello di Montalcino is a complex and
interesting wine. Here is what are you looking for!
-
Fill the glass to between one third and half full.
-
Place the glass on the table and holding the base, gently swirl the wine
in a counter-clockwise direction to release the bouquet.
-
Lift the glass, and hold it at the bottom of the stem, keeping you hand
away from the bowl. (Exception – if the wine is too cold, cup your
hands around the bowl to warm the wine.)
-
Before drinking, examine several
things.
The
visual aspects of the wine. Hold the glass into the sunlight, or the
candlelight, or against a white napkin or cloth. You are examining the
clarity of the wine. Is it cloudy, dense, or limpid? Along with this you
are looking at the colour of the wine, is it ruby red, garnet, brick
colour? Colour has a lot to do with the age of the wine
Swirl
the wine gently around the bowl of the glass counter-clockwise and then
hold the glass up and look at how slowly, or how quickly, the wine which
is left on the sides of the glass dribbles or runs down the inside of
the glass. This is a simple test to tell you whether the wine has a high
alcohol content or not. The slower the dribbles, the higher the alcohol.
The
aroma. Swirl again, then allow your nose to reach into the glass (but
not the wine!) discover what characteristics you find in the wine. This
differs with everyone – we all have a different sense of smell. Does
the wine smell clean and grapey, does it have hints of fruit –
raspberry, cherry, plum? Can you smell dried fruit, like Christmas
pudding, or is it spicey like pepper. Is it earthy, can you smell the
farmyard, saddles and leather or even burnt wood? None of these
things are necessarily bad or good – but they are interesting because
every wine is different – every wine is a living evolving thing.
Time
to drink the wine! Take a small mouthful. Let the wine run between your
teeth, let it wash down the sides of your cheeks and around your mouth.
Think about what sensations you have. Is the wine coating your teeth –
or stripping the enamel! Is it making your mouth juices increase so that
you have to suck in your cheeks to keep it all secure? Does your mouth
feel FULL to bursting with wine?
Swallow
the wine and breathe normally, mouth slightly open. Are you still
enjoying the wine many seconds after you swallowed it, or did the whole
pleasurable experience disappear down your throat with the wine? This is
examining the length of the wine. Some wines are short, and some are
long.
