2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

Giacomo Neri makes some of the most exciting modern-styled Brunellos in the zone. Neri is a fervent believer in low yields and while his wines boast notable concentration they also show remarkable elegance and expressiveness. The estate produces three Brunellos from its extensive holdings throughout the region. The regular bottling is made from the estate's home vineyard located in the northern part of the zone. It is also aged in cask for three years, making it the most classic of the three wines. The Tenuta Nuova is a decidedly more contemporary Brunello. Made from vines located in the southern part of the zone, it offers a riper, richer expression of Sangiovese. These two micro-climates offer significantly different characteristics. “In a typical vintage there can be as much as two weeks' difference in the vegetative cycle between our vineyards in the northern and southern parts of the zone. I think of our Brunello as a more ethereal wine, whereas the Tenuta Nuova is a wine with more color, softer texture and lower acidity,” says Neri.
In outstanding vintages the estate produces its top bottling, the barrique-aged Cerretalto, from vineyards located near the winery. “The Cerretalto is made from a selection of our oldest vineyards. We bottle this Brunello only when the fruit is of exceptional quality and the resulting wine has developed the complexity we are looking for during its aging in our cellars. It is not an easy wine to make as the plants offer significant challenges. They are the earliest to flower and the latest to reach maturity. Because of the longer maturation cycle there is more risk that something can go wrong during the growing season.”