2009 Rosso di Montalcino

It is hard to imagine how much Jan Erbach and Caroline Pobitzer have accomplished in just a few years. Erbach and Pobitzer embody the same adventurous, risk-taking ethos one rarely sees in Montalcino, but which is much more common among top-flight, artisan growers in Burgundy, Piedmont and Champagne. Pian dell'Orino is still a young estate, and the wines can sometimes be a bit inconsistent, especially the Riserva, which I don't think is still fully formed from a conceptual standpoint. Still, I have little doubt the potential is there for Pian dell'Orino to be one of the top ten producers in Montalcino in a few years. The writing is on the wall. Hard work, passion and dedication always pay off. Jan Erbach describes 2007 as similar to 2003, with the exception of rain during July, which helped the vines recuperate a bit. The harvest was earlier than normal and took place from September 20 to October 1.