'An embarrassment of riches' across Montalcino
Critic Eric Guido is a fan. 2019 Brunello marks 'the vintage we've all been waiting for', offering 'an embarrassment of riches'. Writing on vinous.com, he notes that 2019 'is a year where the entire region excelled, from southwest to east and northeast to west… finding a 2019 that doesn't show remarkable balance, vivid fruit and freshness is a difficult task. In my opinion, this is always a mark of a great year. The highs are exceptionally high, and the lows are few and far between.'
We've tasted more than our fair share of 2019 Brunellos, and couldn't concur more. Across Montalcino, so many of our favourite estates have ridden the wave of a superb vintage to turn in beautiful wines. Historic estate Argiano (Wine Spectator Wine of the Year last year) is better than ever after a decade-long programme of investment in cellar and vineyards. At neighbouring estate Sesti, Elisa Sesti thinks '2019 will be recorded as one of the best (if not the best) harvests in the story of Brunello'. Like Argiano, Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona is one of Montalcino's historic properties, enjoying the fruit of a long-term programme of rationalising and replanting (while keeping cellar work traditional).
Máté is very desirably located, with high density vineyards forcing the vines to compete with each other (and thus give their best). Castello Romitorio is the personal project of Filippo Chia, whose vision of Brunello is a 'search for best nuances of Sangiovese', those 'tiny variations that make a great wine unique'. In the heartland of the region, tiny, family-owned Pietroso looks out over the old town of Montalcino. Next door to Biondi-Santi, La Serena hugs the region's eastern flank; Andrea Mantengoli gets the very best from his vineyards through a mix of organics, biodynamics and low intervention. The wines at Salicutti are as seamless as ever. Cerbaiona has been at the head of the Brunello pack since the 1980s, and is better than ever after being rebuilt from the ground up by new man in town Matthew Fioretti. Poggio di Sotto is one of the most refined Brunellos of all, and is brought to fruition in an exquisite style. /NT
And we'll have an in-store embarrassment of Montalcino riches on tasting tomorrow, with four great labels including the highly desirable 2017 Il Marroneto and the 2016 vintage of Lisini's single vineyard Ugolaia bottling. It's another great reason to make your way down to Copthall Avenue! Full details here, and wines will be open from noon - 6pm.
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment Winter 2024
