2006 Brunello di Montalcino

The Brunello di Montalcino 2006 vintage was a true star.  Every year in Verona, Italy during the first weekend of April is held the Vin Italy wine show at an exhibition center that at least 10 times the size of the Javitz center.  Each center houses  particular region for Italy and there are over 10,000 wine producers or growers.  The producers bring a sample bottle from their barrels of their current harvest  just to bring for the show.  Appointments are a must. 

I had the pleasure of tasting through the 2006 vintage throughout each region of Italy.  Tastings start at 9am and run through the whole day till 6pm.  On average I was tasting 300 wines per day.


ARGIANO 2006 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
DOCG

Since 1888, Montalcino's finest Sangiovese grapes have been devoted to Brunello di Montalcino, one of the world's most renowned red wines. For its “Brunello” Argiano selects grapes from its noblest vineyard plots, and ages their wine in two types of wood: for the first year in French barriques (225-litres) to reinforce the wine's inherent structure, and then for at least another one and half year in larger Slovenian oak casks (botti) to ensure the wine's concentrated fruit flavours are beginning to soften just as the wine is bottled. Argiano's winemaker feels the combination of fermenting ripe, concentrated grapes at carefully controlled temperatures, coupled with careful ageing in a selection of different oaks, produces red wines that retain the incredible ageing potential for which Brunello di Montalcino is famed, while keeping the wine flavours as vivid, accessible and appetising as possible.



Tasting profile

Argiano’s Brunello di Montalcino has an intense ruby-red colour. A good concentration in the mid- palate and a persistent aftertaste, yet round and luscious in body, with silky and interesting tannins. It combines power and elegance and indicates a much promising future. Together with the captivating perfumes of red fruits and the clean freshness, the complexity of the wine proves an optimal balance. Decant the wine for at least 1 hour before drinking for an optimum enjoyment.

CAMIGLIANO 2006 BRUNELLO DI  MONTALCINO
Camigliano is an estate on the meteoric rise. Inhabited since the Etruscan period, this estate was a lively center in the Middle Ages, and remains of the fired brick stones of that period can be found near the ancient walls of the castle, set on the top of a hill, surrounded by woodland and vineyards. The soil type is from the western flank of the zone known for hot rich wines. The Ghezzi family bought the property in 1957. The estate has 530 hectares, 90 of which are used for the vineyards. The winery of Camigliano is divided into two buildings. The older one is underneath time master house and at least part of it was built at the same time as the old boundary-walls, around 1250 and 1280. It was redeveloped around the year 600 and the year 700 and hasn’t been altered since. The cellar was built according to the local tradition. It faces the North and is vaulted stone ceiling ensures a constant cool temperature. This is where vintage wines are kept. During the eighties a new cellar, half-buried in the ground, was built beside the old one. It covers an area of 3,000 square meters and this is where most of the wine-making operations are done.




The new cellar is fully equipped with modern technology. Its exposure together with its ventilating system ensures an all-year-round cool amid humid temperature. Wine is kept in tubs with refrigerating bands. Their total capacity is of 4,000 hectoliters. There are also Slovenian oak barrels with a capacity varying between 25 and 150 hl and a total capacity of 4,500 hl and French oak barrels with a total capacity of 50 hectoliters that are used in the fining of the wine. Besides the typical wines of the area, Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino, the farm produces a Brunello selection called Gualto, that normally is released one year later than the normale, and a splendid Cabernet Sauvignon Sant’Antimo called Campo ai Mori.



CAPANNA 2006 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

The Capanna farm, owned by the Cencioni family since 1957, is located north of Montalcino in the area of Montosoli. The vineyards of Montosoli are considered some of the best crus of Brunello. Capanna is a micro-estate dedicated to farming and vinifying the classic Sangiovese Grosso grape variety in a modern style. Capanna sits above the slope on the north facing portion of the old volcano that is topped by the citadel of Montalcino. The north facing slope consists of complex volcanic soil and subsoil which provide less extreme heat and cooler soils that allow the grapes to slowly mature. The highly permeable volcanic soils yield juicier, thinner-skinned grapes. No chemical fertilizers or herbicides are used, and every effort is made to maintain natural biodiversity in the vineyard. Winemaking emphasizes seamless forward fruit, substantial depth of color, flavor, balance, and elegance. The winemaking at Capanna reinforces and elaborates the advantages of its vineyards to produce wines which are rich, complex, generous and smooth.

winemaker's notes:


The hand-picked grapes undergo a 36 to 48 hour cold soak to facilitate fruit and color extraction. A long, cool fermentation is carried out in temperature controlled horizontal stainless steel fermenters fitted with rotating paddles that mix the cap of skins with the fermenting juice. The resulting wines are deeper in color with rounder, richer fruit, and more velvety tannins than wines using traditional pump-over extraction. The wines are aged in large Slovenian oak uprights that allow a gentle maturation without the intrusion of wood flavors or tannins. Intense Ruby color. Velvety and mouth-filling with supple yet firm tannins.
critical acclaim:

"Wonderful aromas of chocolate, crushed berries and raspberries, with vanilla and toasted oak undertones. Full-bodied, with deliciously ripe fruit and loads of berries, chocolate and coffee bean character. Love the length and beauty here. Best after 2013."



95 Points
James Suckling



POGGIO ANTICO 2006 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO


Paola Gloder has one of Montalcino's most elevated estates, with vineyards averaging 1476 feet above sea level, southwest of the famed medieval citadel. Both the unique location and altitude privilege the wines of Poggio Antico. The lower hillside terroir south of Montalcino is conducive to powerful and opulent Brunellos. This, combined with the estate's vineyard elevations -- which enjoy favorable overnight drops in temperature -- bring increased finesse and intense bouquet.

The young and tireless owner has been firmly at the helm of Poggio Antico almost since its inception, when her father purchased 50 clayey, calcareous acres of Brunello di Montalcino vineyards, in 1984. Paola's husband, Alberto Montefiori, joined her in this task in 1998. In their forceful hands, the estate has seen a phenomenal growth, going from 50 to the present 80 acres under vine, developing two parallel Brunello worlds – the more traditional, larger-barrel Brunello, aged longer in Slavonian oak and the modern, finesse-driven Altero, aged in tonneaux of French oak; securing a stellar position in the global market and extending and upgrading the facility to ultrahigh-tech standards
winemaker's notes:


Poggio Antico ages their "classic" Brunello for 3 years (a year beyond the minimum required), keeping it in the traditional large Slavonian oak barrels. They also give it at least 12 months of aging in bottle (three times the minimum required).



critical acclaim:

"Fascinating aromas of blackberries, flowers, dark chocolate and nuts follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a long, intense aftertaste. Bright acidity. This is structured and held back. Massive wine. Most structured ever from here. Give it four to five years of bottle age before opening. Impressive power."



95 Points
James Suckling


MOCALI 2006 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO


The Mocali estate, acquired by the Ciacci family (distant relations to Ciacci Piccolomini) in the 1950s, is a setting of natural Tuscan beauty where vineyards and olive groves alternate with oak and pine forests. This harmony of man and nature comes through in the delicious, ripe and balanced wines produced here, available at prices that are incredibly low when compared to those of the more established producers of Montalcino. The wines are particularly approachable when young, well-structured with ample body and an elegant, minerally character distinct to this growing area. The Rosso "I Piaggioni" is one of the best values on the market - simply delicious Sangiovese at an excellent price. Situated to the southwest of Montalcino at an altitude of 300-350 meters above sea-level on the slopes facing Castiglione del Bosco, the Mocali estate is comprised of 32 hectares, 6 of which are specialized vineyards (5 Hectares of Sangiovese grosso), and 4 dedicated to olive groves. As over half of the estate is covered by a vegetation characteristic to the hill on which Montalcino stands, the vineyards and olive groves alternate with a landscape of woodland of ilex, oak and arbutus. The soil is rendered highly mineral; salt owing to the presence of marl and limestone. Not being overly large, the Mocali estate lies under family management with the consultation of an expert oenologist.