Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nuova Brunello

 I am not a big drinker of Brunello, but recently the 2016 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova impressed me.

The palate is quite complex: red and black cherry, blood orange, chocolate, forest floor and a little bit of spice. This is a big wine, but quite pure, nicely packaged in firm acidity and dry tannins. This wine is powerful and elegant at the same time.

Score: 96/+++

 

San Filippo Le Lucére Brunello

 When it comes to Italian wines, my favorites are Barolos from Piedmont. I love the aromatics, complex flavours, and tannin structures. The other star performers are the Sangioveses from Montalcino, known as Brunellos. While they are generally highly regarded, I find them less interesting and enjoyable. However, every now and then I should put this to the test. Last night I tried the 2013 San Filippo Le Lucére Brunello.

From a good year and a single vineyard, this wine delivers fruity and savoury flavours, with red and black cherry, espresso notes, leather and spice. It is a medium- to full-bodied wine with high acidity, typical of Sangiovese. I find it a bit flat on the mid-palate. The firm tannins play in the background. But then, it comes together well on a harmonious, slightly salty finish.

This is a good wine, no doubt, but it is also very expensive. My opening paragraph still stands.

Score: 93/+

Le Chiuse Brunello

 

The 2010 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino from a good vintage would have shown  medium fruit weight of black cherry and tobacco and elegance on release. Unfortunately, the fruit has now dried out, and the wine is thin in the mouth. Dusty tannins are now quite prominent, but there is little of interest left in this wine.

Score: 87/- 

Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello

The 2010 Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello has the appealing mix of black cherry, mocca and earth, typical of Brunello. However, the mouthfeel is a bit flat and the acidity level is too high in comparison to fruit and tannins (and I had it with Italian food). This is a somewhat disappointing effort for the esteemed 2010 vintage of Montalcino.

Score: 90/-

Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nueva Brunello

Brunello, a wine with long maturation, is unquestionably the best expression of the Sangiovese grape. There has been a lot of excitement about the 2010 Brunellos, so I thought I might check how one from an older, also highly regarded vintage has developed.

The 2006 Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nueva Brunello has a beautiful nose, with violets and dark cherry notes raising from the glass in a measured, elegant way. This continues on the palate, with concentrated and intense black cherry flavours, blood orange, chocolate and some spice. These flavours are wrapped up in a full-bodied and dense frame. But at the same time, the wine is nicely balanced by acidity and not overly heavy. The finish is smooth, but slightly alcoholic.

Score: 93/++

Montalcino Rosso and Brunello

The next few reviews might be of Italian wines. In Montalcino, a hilltop town in Tuscany, Sangiovese reigns supreme. The two main styles produced are the Rosso, an early drinking style, and Brunello, which requires significant maturation before release. The wine has to be 100% Sangiovese. The area is just recovering from a blending scandal, where a number of producers were accused and taken to court because of using other grapes as well. I don't believe the case is closed at this point in time.

Of a number of Rossos tried, the 2006 and 2007 Querce Bettina Rosso di Montalcino from a small family winery were the most impressive. They are quite similar. The 2007 in particular shows vibrant cherry fruit. The wine is balanced with a firm acidic finish.

Score: 90/+

The 2006 Villa Le Prata Brunello di Montalcino, also from a small producer, displays clean and pure raspberry and cherry fruit with more depth than the Rossos above. This is an elegant wine with some length and good minerality. It is more about structure than fruit and has a somewhat sinewy and taut finish.

Score: 91/+

Overall, these wines are very different from Australian wines. They are not as fruity and are made to accompany food, playing second fiddle to what is on the plate. However, there are other Brunellos with more character.