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| ~ The Entrance to the Pian dell’Orino Estate ~ |
“Farming is only organic if it respects and protects the complex correlations and the equilibrium of a habitat. This is how we have always cultivated the vineyards at Pian dell’Orino.”
Pian dell’Orino is a tiny estate, only 6 hectares in total, that lies adjacent to the Biondi Santi estate. The tiny size allows for painstaking manual procedures at every step. Grapes are harvested and sorted by hand. Everything is natural from the yeasts, to the organic certification the winery holds. Yields are extremely low, as the aim of the estate is 1 bottle of wine per vine. Quality takes a back seat to nothing.
But the dedication doesn’t stop with the vineyards. When Caroline & Jan, owners of Pian dell’Orino, built the new cellar adjacent to their farmhouse, they wanted complete symbiosis with nature. They wanted a living, breathing wine cellar.
“Personality and originality, equilibrium and elegance. To obtain a wine with these characteristics a cellar should share the same criteria and be a healthy natural environment. Our cellar was created according to organic principles and with full respect for the landscape. The construction was made with materials that “breathe” – clay, wood, lime and stones gathered from the vineyards themselves.”
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| ~ The Cellar features a hydraulic lift to allow it to “breathe naturally” ~ |
2011 was a slightly uneven year in Montalcino and growers had to strictly select the fruit that was ultimately used for their wines. With today’s subject wine, Pian dell’Orino clearly made all the right choices.
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| ~ The winemaking team at Pian dell’Orino: Jan and Caroline ~ |
The 2011 Rosso di Montalcino is a clear, bright ruby in the glass with violet highlights. Captivating aromas of fresh flowers, crushed berries, earth and tobacco are easily coaxed from the glass. On the palate, there is a serious core of ripe, rich, berry fruit that is savory, spicy and delicious. This is very ripe, but not overdone and is miraculous in it’s concentration. Sweet tobacco notes and spices accent the fruit nicely and while not too tannic, the wines acidity keeps everything juicy and fresh. This is best 2011 Rosso di Montalcino I’ve tasted to date. 91 points, about $25.
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| ~ 2011 Rosso di Montalcino ~ |
Salute!
Have to try this one.
Captivating post! Want this Rosso!!!!!
John , your comments are right on. My wife and I spent a couple of hours with Jan and Caroline back in March. We walked the vineyards and toured the cellar and learned of their philosophies and approach. What an interesting cellar design. Jan and Caroline are wonderful people that make very good wines. I left with a few Rosso's, a few Brunellos and now have the Piandorino. The Rosso was one of the best I have had. Looking forward to try the others
Thanks Joe. I may have to get back there one day myself. Good people, good wines. A winning formula.