Montalcino: The Great 2015 Brunellos &amp; More

BY IAN D'AGATA&nbsp;| APRIL 02, 2020Wine lovers everywhere are in for a real treat with Montalcino’s latest releases. The 2015 Brunellos are some of the best in recent memory, while the 2018 Rossos are wonderfully fresh and inviting. A handful of luscious Moscadellos round out the wines featured in this report. With the tragic outbreak of COVID-19 taking
place right now, the words “what a difference a year makes” never rang more
true. On a much brighter note, those same words apply perfectly to the latest releases from&nbsp;Montalcino: a year really does make a big difference. Wines offered
in early 2019 – such as the often alcoholically top-heavy and hot 2017 Rossos
and the generally thinnish 2014 Brunellos – failed to generate much enthusiasm.
Only some excellent 2013 Brunello Riservas were truly worth getting excited
about. By contrast, in early 2020, winery owners and industry pros&nbsp;were
ready to sound the trumpets, beat the drums and break out the bubbly. Without
doubt, the much happier and more optimistic environment (at that point, the&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic had not yet hit everyone hard) was brought about by the indisputable
high quality of Montalcino’s new wines: the suave and deep 2015 Brunellos, the
ultra-fresh and super-delicious 2018 Rossos, and even the
occasional Moscadello, Montalcino’s sweet wine made from Moscato Bianco. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585834651928-Salvioni+farmhouse.jpg"> A late summer afternoon at the Salvioni farmhouse.

There is so much to say about
Montalcino and its wines this year that it is easy to forget something. So I’ll
keep it simple and give my point-by-point thoughts on Montalcino:

1.&nbsp;Simply put, 2015
is a great Brunello vintage, easily one of the top eight or ten Brunello
vintages of all time. That statement is especially true if one believes the
single most important parameter by which to judge a vintage is overall quality across the production zone. In that light, I simply do not recall ever
tasting as many outstanding young Brunellos as I did this year. The real
trump card of the 2015 Brunellos is their rather magical balance: there are
very few thin, tart, angular, alcohol-heavy, fruit-challenged or unpleasantly
tannic wines among them. Most of the 2015 Brunellos are characterized by suave,
voluptuous mouthfeels, bordering on the opulent, but with very good, juicy
acidities that nicely lift and carry the velvety ripe flavors. And while the
2015 Brunellos are not the most perfumed I have memory of, unlike other “hot”
recent vintages they do offer (for the most part) enough of the precise,
typical and lifted Sangiovese aromas usually associated with cooler years.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585778519355-Andrea+costanti+looking+over+his+property_copy.jpg"> Andrea Costanti looking over his property. 

2.&nbsp;Therefore, there are&nbsp;two specific parameters, perfume and acidity, that really contribute to uniqueness of&nbsp;these wines and set them&nbsp;apart from those of other recent well-regarded
Brunello vintages. While admittedly not exceptionally perfumed (in particular,
some wines from the slopes in the south of the appellation can show compressed
aromatics), they differ from those of other similarly warm (or warmer) vintages
(such as 1997, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009) because almost all the 2015s, while
initially slightly silent in the glass, tend to blossom with aeration to reveal
above-average lift (something that was totally absent in the wines of 1997 or
2003, for example). In fact, the 2015 Brunellos really do benefit, even more so
than other young Brunello vintages, from plenty of air in order to show all
they have to offer (I suggest decanting them well ahead of serving). And
despite the hot days of summer, readers will find there are neither too many
wines marred by gritty tannins (as was the case in 1997, 2003 and 2007) nor
too many overly soft, acid-challenged wines (such as some 2004s and many 2009s).

3.&nbsp;As mentioned
earlier, an important point relative to the quality level of 2015 Brunellos is
that it is a year of generally all-around great wines with very few disappointments.
If there is only one small negative to the greatness of 2015 in Montalcino, it
is the relative lack of truly superlative, once-in-a-lifetime wines in the mix.
There is undoubtedly a plethora of outstanding wines, such as I have never seen
before from Montalcino; but at the cost of seeming insatiable or needlessly
hypercritical, after each and every one of my estate visits this year, I found
myself wondering if the wines could and should not have been even better. It is
for this very reason that I currently believe the 2016 Brunello vintage to be
superior to 2015 because the former offers many more truly exceptional wines
than does 2015. At the same time, caveat
emptor, for there are far more disappointing wines in 2016 as well.
Undoubtedly, the 2015s are more approachable at a very early stage in life
(many are good to go right now, though an appropriate amount of cellaring will
only help them show even better) and will prove easier to enjoy because of
their rounder, richer personalities; but in 10 years’ time, I think the greater
refinement and complexity of the 2016s will let them come out ahead – maybe
just by a nose, but ahead. Admittedly, when all is said and done, which
Brunello vintage you prefer, 2015 or 2016, will depend on what you personally
value. It will take noteworthy skill to buy a bad 2015
Brunello.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585778592992-Jan+Erbach+and+Caroline+Pobizer+of+Pian+dell%27Orinoa_copy.jpg"> Jan Erbach and Caroline Pobitzer at&nbsp;their&nbsp;Pian dell'Orino estate. 

4.&nbsp;The 2015 Brunello
vintage is significant for several other reasons. First, many estates added a
new wine to their portfolio, usually a new single-vineyard Brunello bottling.
Unfortunately, at some estates, what seemed like a good idea at the time turned
out to be a double-edged sword. In fact, while some of these new wines are
extremely exciting and actually some of the best new efforts I have tasted from
Italy in the last 12 months, the regular 2015 Brunellos at many estates ended
up suffering. It is altogether likely that, in order to make a new, top-of-the-line
bottling, the best fruit was reserved for the new Brunello. Not surprisingly,
then, I found that some normally very fine regular Brunellos were stripped, to
varying degrees, of their normal oomph and power. A second, and very
interesting, turn of events is that more and more Brunello producers are
looking to grow grapes in, or buy them from, higher-altitude vineyards. Where 20
years ago nobody in Montalcino ever talked of north-facing exposures or of
vineyards at 500 meters above sea level, these climate-change-challenged times
have brought about quite a shift in mentality and outlook.

5.&nbsp;Last but not
least, it is impossible for me not to broach subjects such as the authenticity
of native grapes in the wines they are supposedly made with, and the expression
of those native grapes relative to specific terroirs in the glass. And so, with
regard to the new single-vineyard wines that appeared on the scene with the
2015 vintage, it cannot be overlooked that Montalcino’s complete lack of interest
in a precise zonation of its terroir is driven home with every passing year. On
the one hand, it is good to see that at least two new Montosoli bottlings
appeared with this vintage. This is perfectly fine, as the Montosoli hill in
the northern sector is arguably Montalcino’s single greatest grand cru (and certainly
its most famous), and so you understand why anyone owning vines in the general
vicinity would want to label their wines with that lofty name. But I cannot
help but point out that as usual, in an effort to make everyone happy,
shortcuts were taken that in the end will do nothing to increase the value and
standing of Montalcino and its wines. The real Montosoli site is a small one,
and much of the land that is now legally called Montosoli is in fact not the
true Montosoli. The real Montosoli is a mostly south-facing slope, while that
part of the hill swerving westward is more accurately referred to as Le Gode di
Montosoli. To be fair, the latter is also a great site and one of the best
places to grow Sangiovese in all of Montalcino, but just like Batard-Montrachet
is not quite Montrachet, and Cannubi Valletta is not the same as Cannubi, those
parallels apply here (both soils and exposures vary, for example).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585778627430-On+the+way+to+Poggio+di+Sotto+and+San+Giorgio_copy.jpg"> On the way to Poggio di Sotto and San Giorgio. 

6.&nbsp;Given the coolish,
rainy growing season, the 2018 Rossos are far better than anyone ever imagined
or anticipated. Don’t miss out on them, as they represent outstanding examples
of Sangioveses that will offer boatloads of drinking enjoyment over the near
and medium term (in most cases, for five or seven years from the vintage). All
the better 2018 Rossos are bright, fruit-forward, lively wines, brimming with
early appeal and delicious to drink. Blessed with refreshing, harmonious
acidities thanks to that fairly cool growing season, the best 2018 Rossos will
prove very food-friendly and compatible with a wide range of dishes. The
caveat here is that the unsuccessful 2018 Rossos are on the thin side, and at
times downright green.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585778668710-Alessandro+Bindocci+of+Il+Poggione_copy.jpg"> Alessandro Bindocci of Il Poggione. 

7.&nbsp;Readers should keep
in mind that there are always two very different styles of Rosso di Montalcino,
depending on the source of the Sangiovese grapes used. While Rosso di
Montalcino is, like Brunello, 100% Sangiovese, the vineyards used to make Rosso
belong to two different categories: the vineyards that fall within the Brunello
denomination (the grapes used to make Brunello), and those vineyards from where
only Rosso can be made. Clearly, wines made with the former are essentially
declassified Brunellos (and nicknamed “baby Brunellos”). They are much richer, more
textured wines than those made with grapes coming from Rosso-designated
vineyards only. But do not make the all too common mistake of automatically
assuming that the baby Brunellos are the best of the two Rossos; these bigger
wines can at times be fat and overly ripe, lacking the freshness and easy
drinkability of the Rossos made with non-Brunello grapes. Conversely, Rosso di
Montalcino made from Rosso vineyards usually shows more perfume but less body –
the wines tend to be metallic and flinty, with little creaminess to speak of,
so in cooler years they can taste a bit mean and shrill. In the end, it’s a
mostly matter of individual preference. Just be aware that in a cool vintage
like 2018, the differences between the two types of Rosso are very evident, so
knowing which wine style you prefer will go a long way toward finding your personal
Rosso di Montalcino happiness.

8.&nbsp;Centuries ago,
Moscadello di Montalcino used to be Montalcino’s most famous and expensive
wine. Made with Moscato Bianco, Moscadello is made in two different styles: a
Moscato d’Asti–like lightly sparkling wine, and a luscious late-harvest or
air-dried version. Both are excellent and worth seeking out.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585778695287-Tasting+at+Le+Chiuse_copy.jpg"> Tasting at Le Chiuse. 

A Tale of Two Vintages

The
2015 vintage is generally viewed as
a warm year, although&nbsp;the growing season&nbsp;did not start out that way. A cold and rainy
winter gave way to an irregular spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Two keys
explaining 2015’s success relative to other hot Montalcino vintages are that
small amounts of rainfall in July impeded the development of water stress, and
that August had rather cool nights, which ensured very good diurnal temperature
variation. The grapes were healthy, but small in size, with thick skins, but
also with higher total acidity levels than are common in truly hot vintages.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1585833352050-The+2015+vintage+is+a+great+one+for+Brunello_copy.jpg"> Tasting through the 2015 Brunellos.By
contrast, 2018 was not an easy year in
which to make wine, as it was too cold and rainy in many parts of the appellation.
However, weather patterns varied greatly in different sectors of the Montalcino
hill. For example, some spots received a deluge of 60 millimeters of rain in one event, while other places, even just one kilometer away, received basically
none. Fortunately, the presence of a little tramontana
(a wind blowing in from the north) during the harvest helped dry the grapes and
avoid problems associated with typical vineyard diseases. And so, while 2018 is
a year of very quaffable Sangioveses from Montalcino. Those producers who
applied more elbow grease and have less moisture-retaining clay in their soils fared
best. 

The wines in this report were tasted in Rome in
January, and during ten days of estate visits in February.<hr>You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vinous.com/articles/the-2014-brunello-di-montalcino-and-2013-riservas-opposites-attract-march-2019">The 2014 Brunello di Montalcino and 2013 Riservas: Opposites Attract</a>, Ian D'Agata, March 2019 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/le-potazzine-brunello-di-montalcino-2001-2013-oct-2018">Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 2001 – 2013</a>, Ian D'Agata, October 2018<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vinous.com/articles/brunello-di-montalcino-sleek-pure-2013s-surprising-2012-riservas-apr-2018">Brunello di Montalcino: Sleek, Pure 2013s &amp; Surprising 2012 Riservas</a>, Ian D'Agata, April 2018<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vinous.com/articles/brunello-di-montalcino-the-2012-brunellos-and-2011-riservas-mar-2017">Brunello di Montalcino: The 2012 Brunellos and 2011 Riservas</a>, Ian D'Agata, March 2017

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