~ The Abbazia di Sant’Antimo in Castelnuovo dell’Abate ~
With the release of the 2020 Brunello, Montalcino has a fresh, vibrant vintage on the market that lends itself to immediate enjoyment. In fact, under the new Brunello Forma vintage descriptors that debuted with 2020, the Consorzio calls the vintage “captivating, bright and succulent.” I am not one to disagree.
In part one of my Annual Coverage, many of the wines displayed this bright drinkability. Though not as soft as other recent approachable vintages like 2018, these wines offer generous fruit, ample complexity and refined tannins. Let’s get started with Part 2.
~ The new Tenuta Aminta winery near Castelnuovo dell’Abate ~
Never one to rest on his laurels, winemaker Andrea Cecchi had been seeking an exceptional property in Montalcino for years. That vision came to fruition in 2018 when a neglected property owned by Bruna Baroncini came available for sale.
Owners of Poggio Il Castellare, the Baroncini’s had little use for the annex winery and far flung vineyards that were contemplated for sale. As a result, they packaged the property with the vineyards and chose to focus on the vines and olives surrounding their family Castello.
Andrea didn’t hesitate. And in the 7 years that followed the purchase, he renovated and expanded the winery and revitalized the vineyards. Today, Aminta consists of approximately 6 hectares of vineyards in the prestigious Castelnuovo dell’Abate just across the road from Tenuta Fanti and within sight of the Sant’Antimo Abbey. The 2020 Brunello is the fruit of that labor and is the first release from Tenuta Aminta.
~ Drawing a sample of 2021 Brunello Aminta from cask ~
The “Aminta” name embodies the heart of the family tradition and the deep bond with the territory where the estate is located. In fact, Aminta is the fusion of the names Anita and Amiata. Anita, Andrea’s mother was a major source of inspiration for the whole family. Her vision, teachings, and approach to life provided the creative elements that inspired the estate’s label. In parallel with Mount Amiata, which dominates the Montalcinese landscape and strongly influences the climate and diversity of the estate’s soils.
Finally, the name also doffs it’s hat to L’Aminta: Torquato Tasso’s pastoral play, which speaks of harmony, nature, and purity – the very same ideals that guide all of Andrea’s work.
~ Andrea’s Mother left a scrapbook of various drawings that were the inspiration for the estate’s labels ~
Today, the estate spans six hectares of vineyards lying between 250 and 400 meters above sea level. There are three distinct vineyards: Vigna Pian Bossolino, Vigna Cantina, and Vigna Caselle. Cantina surrounds the winery whil Bossolino and Caselle are further flung. Each has distinct soils spanning from galestro to pietra forte and while the microclimates differ, all are within the Castelnuovo dell’Abate area.
The 2020 Tenuta Aminta Brunello is a classic, medium ruby color. Very pretty. Wild cherry, toasted spices, graham cracker, fennel and forest notes on the nose are very alluring. On the palate this is wonderfully structured and very reminiscent of the Abate terroir. Ripe, round and juicy with dark cherry flavors backed by trace minerals and smooth, dusty tannins. The finish is ripe, long and fresh with hints of wild scrub and juicy berry. I absolutely love this and it reminds me of the Fanti Vallochio in style and finesse. An impressive debut! 95 points.
~ The inaugural release of Aminta was definitely worth the wait. I will taste the 2021 at Benvenuto Brunello ~
Tenuta Fanti has become a fixture on the Rustic Tuscany Tour. And with good reason. It’s a great family owned business that hits the wine trifecta. Enough quantity. Top quality. Fair prices. It’s always a favorite and this past Tour, Elisa Fanti was able to join my guests for lunch. Truly a memorable experience. We talked about quite a bit that day – but the one thing that stays in my mind is how excited she was for 2021. The initial pre-bottled wines were excellent – so I am excited to see how they are next month.
The 2020 Fanti Estate Brunello is always a solid value. Brilliant ruby in the glass with a classic fade at the edge of the bowl revealing Sangiovese to the taster. The nose is prefumed with cherry and truffle. More substantial on the palate than I would have imagined. There’s some structure here. Ripe cherry, toasted spices and turned earth on the palate remain fresh and nicely woven. The warmth of the vintage shows up a bit as the wine warms. Still, it’s a tremendous value. 92 points. Find this wine at Enoteca di Piazza and with my Coupon Code “FODERA” it will be less than $30. (tariff included)
~ Always a wonderful wine that can be enjoyed now ~
Poggio Antico has been on my radar almost since I knew what Brunello was. I have always loved the style and the wines consistently impressed me. When the estate was sold in 2017, I had some trepidation. But things seem to have worked out very well.
Since that time, the new owners have completed a certified organic conversion, built out a new winery complete with a solar system that now provides most of the electricity the estate needs and also made improvements in the cellar. A new cellar that will be completely self-sustaining is pending approval by the Italian government. The Brunello Cru I Poggi was first produced in 2019. I Poggi sits about 1,800 feet above sea level. The vineyard is 2.5 hectares and composed of rocky soils and galestro and surrounded by lovely woods. It’s an oasis.
The 2020 Poggio Antico Brunello I Poggi is a worthy successor to the wonderful 2019. Aged in 25 hectoliter Austrian barrels, the wine exhibits a classical color even in its youth. The aromas of the wine leap from the glass – at this time with no decanting. Bright cherry, sweet pipe tobacco, cloves and toasted nuts are wonderful. This is so elegant. Vibrant and juicy in the mouth with long, succulent crushed red fruit flavors backed by toasted spices, roasted mushroom, truffles and flinty tannins. A wine as approachable as this seems like it should not cost what it does. *That* is the only downside here. And with the release of the 2021, I fear the price is stupid. I got this bottle at the winery – along with a bottle of the 2019. The latter needs cellaring. 94 points. Find this wine.
~ One of the top wines of the vintage ~
“This is what our ancestors taught us and we try to follow the history of our family, always with a look towards innovation and the use of more modern technologies.”
Those are not only words. It’s an edict. It’s a single frame of thought that continually informs the direction that Tenuta Fanti embraces. Never forgetting your roots. Respecting tradition. But realizing that modern innovation can create better wines. It’s what Vallocchio is about.
Set high atop the hills near the center of Castelnuovo dell’Abate are the oldest vineyards that the Fanti’s own. Here, at almost 375 meters above sea level, are vineyards that give rise to Cru Vallocchio. Today they range from 25-40 years of age.
The Tenuta Fanti 2020 Brunello Cru Vallocchio is a deep ruby color. Aged 50% in grande botte and 50% in Tonneaux, the wine exudes class and structure. It’s aromatic from the start with toasted spices, wild cherry, fresh tobacco and red flowers. On the palate, the wine is fresh, juicy and ripe. The 15% abv. is impeccably balanced, though I would recommend drinking this closer to cellar temperature than room. Persistent, with fresh herbs, roasted nuts, crushed wild berry and newly burnished leather, I can’t like this enough. It’s from 4 small hectares but Vallocchio has a name. It’s hard to mistake from its powdery, flinty texture. It’s a must wine for Brunello lovers. 95 points. Find this wine at Enoteca di Piazza.
~ The 2020 represents the 10th vintage of Vallocchio and it is very well done ~
In 1998, after a contentious familial split, Donatella Cinelli Colombini left her family’s estate to start her own endeavor. As part of the agreement, Donatella emerged with the Casato Estate in Montalcino. Along with the vineyards, cellars and farmhouses needing renovation, Donatella received a quantity of Brunello di Montalcino and required a cellar master to oversee its barrel aging. The yarn is a compelling one – and it’s part of the reason Casato Prime Donne is a regular stop on the Rustic Tuscany Tour.
The 2020 Casato Prime Donne Brunello is a medium dark ruby color. On the nose, this meaty Brunello offers black cherry aromas with toasted baking spices and hints of fresh fennel. In the mouth, this is significantly tannic and very masculine. It struck me as odd, because the style of this estate is generally more feminine and elegant. Dark cherry, spice and dark cigar leaf are notable. With dinner (shepherds pie) the tannins were mellowed considerably, yet this one is not nearly as expressive as past vintages and contemporaries across 2020. Tread carefully here. 90 points. Find this wine.
~ Perhaps a bit atypical of the house style ~
Vigna La Casaccia is a new winery owned by the children of Leopoldo Franceschi (owner of Il Poggione), Daughter Flavia and son Federico farm 15 hectares near Cinigiano. It’s an area of Brunello filled with maritime deposits, schist, marl and limestone. The nature of those elements impacts the wine greatly. Selection is severe and the sibling’s intent is to make a premium Brunello. In 2019, they succeeded admirably. This vintage, leaves me shaking my head.
The 2020 Vigna La Casaccia di Franceschi Brunello is dark crimson in the glass. It’s hard to see through. The wine is reticent on the nose, even after 60-80 minutes of air. Cherry and dried herbs form the center of the aromas. In the mouth, the wine is somewhat hollow with a shrill laser of acidity. It’s stinging. There is no roundness here to the fruit at all. And there is no depth to the cherry and dried spice flavors. We came back to it a full 2+ hours later and it had barely budged. It certainly wasn’t corked, but perhaps an odd lot? Still, at the price point, I don’t expect to be finding out. 87 points and not recommended.
~ I liked the 2019 very much but this one is a head scratcher ~
The Mate Estate will always hold a special place in my heart, even if the wines weren’t good. Why? Because owner and vineyard manager Ferenc Mate has penned an amazing trilogy about wine life in Tuscany; and the anecdotes border on the mere funny, to laugh out loud hilarious. They end with a feeling like, “yep, only in Italy!” I implore you to have a look.
The Mate winery sits in the Tavernelle area of Montalcino nearby the church of Santa Restituta. Spanning about 17 acres of vineyards that are primarily planted with Sangiovese, the organic winery produces about 2,500 cases per year.
~ Cypress trees, Olive grove and vineyards under a blanket of snow on the Mate Estate ~
The 2020 Mate Brunello is a medium ruby in color. Like many other 2020s I did not decant the wine. It doesn’t need it. From the glass, the aromas are open and attractive. All I kept thinking while smelling and sipping this wine is “purity”. The essence of Sangiovese here is incredible. Ripe, alpine herbs. Deftly toasted nuts. Juicy crushed, wild cherry. On the back end, hints of ripe fennel. This is true of the nose and palate. Fresh fresh fresh. I love it. 93 points. Find this wine at Enoteca di Piazza and save 10% with my Coupon Code “FODERA“.
~ It’s hard to describe how pure this wine is. It is simply Tuscany ~
~ Hillside Sangiovese wines on the Mate Estate ~
It’s hard to imagine improving on the style Mate laid down in their Estate Brunello. But the 202o Brunllo Cru Veltha does just that. Veltha was an Etruscan Goddess and this new Brunello debuted with the 2019 vintage. The best way I can describe this is to simply “look above”. The aromas and flavors here are virtually identical. Actually, tasting the wines side by side was interesting because the contrast was slight, but remarkable. What I mean by that, is that the Veltha was rounder, deeper, more succulent in its flavors. But the actual flavors, mimicked the estate wine. Very interesting, but when you think on it, it represents that which is the essence of the Mate terroir. Their vineyards are tucked away. It’s a Tuscan oasis. I look forward to visiting the property in June and bringing you more coverage. 95 points. Find this wine.
~ The finesse in the Cru Brunello is impressive ~
The Pietranera estate is owned by the Centolani family and consists of approximately 200 hectares; with 42 under vine. Located about 1 mile from the famous Sant’Antimo Abbey, the Centolani’s employ an interesting regimen for aging their Brunello. French oak is used from the Allier forest in 20, 30, 50 and 100 hectoliter sizes. The effect on the wine is one of interesting balance; especially in stronger vintages.
The Centolani Family own three properties: Tenuta Friggiali, Poggiotondo and Pietranera. The latter is located near Tavernelle and for me, is the best of the three estates.
The 2020 Pietranera Brunello is charming, accessible and thoroughly enjoyable. Medium ruby throughout, the aromas are lively and fresh featuring rosemary, fennel frond, crushed berry and hints of soft toast. In the mouth, this is approachable, juicy and satisfying. There’s plenty of crushed cherry fruit, hints of fresh herb, and a dot of cigar leaf. Elegant, and reminds of other Tavernelle producers like Caprili and Mate. I could describe this as a “house Brunello”. That might sound like a knock, but it isn’t. This is delicious, a wonderful value, and drinks well now. 92 points. Find this wine.
~ This reminds me stylistically of Caprili ~
Castello Banfi realized long ago that Climate Change was going to impact wine growing in Tuscany. Their prescient views should be commended. It yielded the Clonal Research study that is now referred to at University in Siena and Firenze. More importantly, it isolated clones of Sangiovese that were best suited to Montalcino. Clones best suited by elevation, exposure, soil type and temperature. The vineyards comprising Poggio alle Mura Brunello are the result of this research.
The 2020 Castello Banfi Brunello Poggio alle Mura is, as always, a structured, gargantuan Brunello that requires 5 years cellaring to soften. Even in a vintage as charming as 2020, this wine showed best nearly as the bottle was empty. Dark crimson, with soft balsam notes and black cherry aromas. In the mouth, you can sense a brooding beast. Black cherry, sapid wild berry, dark tobacco notes, hints of coffee – these form the core that is surrounded by structure. This needs time; while the tannins aren’t intrusive, they are significant. The balance is there, but try in 5 years. 92 points for now, but it could go quite a bit higher. This wine is still a bargain at Enoteca di Piazza using my Coupon Code.
~ A monumental Brunello requiring some age ~
And that, is a wrap! The 2020’s seem to be a more expressive version of 2018. They are stylistically very similar and provide charming, early options for drinking. With few exceptions, I don’t see the need to cellar them. Enjoy them for what they are, while your 2019s and perhaps 2021s begin maturing.
Although 2021s are released, there is very little in the market at the moment. That vintage will be my next focus, but most large retailers are still flush with 2020, 2019 and even some 2018s. The tariff impact is likely playing a role with 2021s availability, but that is fluid as well.
Despair not! There are plenty of great Brunello to enjoy.
Salute!
