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| ~ Cantina Casanova di Neri ~ |
It’s been almost 7 months since I met Giacomo Neri at Gambero Rosso. We talked, we tasted, we enjoyed his wines. He was humbled when I told him how much I loved his Brunello and that humility is evident standing before this farmer; a man who seemingly takes no credit for himself, but bestows all the accolades of his wines on the vineyards that produce them. It’s all about the site.
Neri’s Tenuta Nuova Brunello comes from two of these vineyards; Le Cetine and Pietradonice. Selection is rigorous and since the inaugural 1993 vintage, Tenuta Nuova has been a special wine. Neri seeks balance in his wines. While refusing to be labelled a modernist, his Brunello does see French barrique for nearly 30 months, but the barrels are a combination of used and new and never more than a moderate toasting.
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| ~ Sangiovese Gross hanging in Le Cetine ~ |
The 2004 Tenuta Nuova Brunello is a wonderful wine indeed. This brooding rosso sat in a decanter for 45 minutes before dinner. The color is a vibrant black ruby with lots of pretty violet reflections and yet still, it displays that slight copper hue that Brunello is known for at the rim of the glass.
The aromas take some coaxing. This wine is still young and readers that prefer a more complex array of scents will want to cellar this for another 3-5 years. There’s a deep core of crushed berries, sweet pipe tobacco and a pretty floral overtone. On the palate, the wine is full bodied and long with spicy freshly crushed wild berries, tobacco, sweet fennel spice and a slight earthy note. The substantial tannins are ripe and assert themselves toward the finish. All is balanced, but I do believe this wine will be superior in 5 years to what it is now. That’s not a knock, as it is delicious, but there’s more lurking under the surface here. 94 points, about $45.
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| ~ Casanova di Neri, Tenuta Nuova 2004 ~ |
Salute!
John, I love the visuals on this, as seldom you see such detail; very nice:)I'll take a case thank you!