Mama Mia, it's Brunello !

Brunello di Montalcino is a pretty "recent" creation, having been invented by Biondi-Santi in 1888. Indeed he was the 1st one to bottle it and give it a distinctive name. The production area is a rather small one, delimited by the valleys of the Orcia, Asso and Ombrone rivers. Its shape is almost circular with a diameter of 16 Km. One of the most important features is the climate around Montalcino (110km south of Florence): warmer and drier than the Chianti zones, leading to a hefty alcohol level.
The production zone can be split in two. The Northern part, on galestro (friable rock, marl like) soil, has higher altitude vineyards when the southern part is warmer and heavier soil (clay). As a result, wines from the southern part are fuller and more forward than the northern wines which are usually more delicate (everything is relative though) and aromatics.

Brunello really exploded in the of the 20th Century. Until 1960, there were only 11 bottlers. In 2010, they are over 200 ....Yes, Brunello is trendy and selling, especially here in the US.
2 different Brunello can me made:
-Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
-Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG

Because of the economic pressure, the time the wine must spend in wood (which is the same for the regular and Riserva) has been reduced to 2 years (42 months in 1980) . Ironically, many producers felt obliged to use small barrique to mark even more, and faster, their wines with disgusting oaky flavors. Well, at least, it seems to work for Suckling.

Of course, the only grape the allowed is the Sangiovese Grosso but apparently some producers forgot about it in the famous brunellogate when many of them were caught blending some cabernet sauvignon in...Why? I guess they did not think their wines were dark and big enough...Ha, isn't beautiful to sell more crap....

Anyway, before this tasting, I was a little scared to get only beefed up versions, oaked to death and with Port like aromas... Well, at the end, it did not turn out so bad.

All wines tasted blind then enjoyed over some nice duck confit and oeuf cocotte a la truffe.

2001 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia
Classic Italian funk on the nose with some cocoa and oak. Some dark cherry and prune. This is quite tight but powerful and on the palate there's not one fruit standing out in particular. Rather lowish in acidity, this is shutting down quickly. Too forget in the cellar for years.
The pirate in our tasting and totally Brunello like. The estate is located in the most south-eastern part of the Chianti Classico zone, very close to Siena and therefore very close to the Brunello zone. It also shares the same galestro soil. All this could explain its Brunello like profile.
2004 Collemattoni Brunello di Montalcino
First thing jumping at your nose is oak. A lot of it. Then, classic dark cherry with licorice and a hint of earthiness.
Full body, low acidity. Very nutty. Some heat. Tannins are smoother than in the Felsina Rancia but I guess that's because of the oak treatment.
I don't know where this is going. Will the fruit still be alive when the oak is integrated? Right now, this is an oaky mess and heavy.
1995 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino
Right off the bat a different style than the Collemattoni and Rancia.More red fruits and more acidity. This is more about finesse than power.
Still, this bottle was showing some TCA signs. Too bad...

1982 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino
Very savory nose. At some times, I felt I was digging my nose in a bloody mary with all this celery salt, worchestire sauce. Different on the palate with sweet fruits. Bacon on the finish.
Still very much alive!
1999 Giovanna Ciacci Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta di Collosorbo
Licorice with some cherry, floral and earthy notes. Still a touch of oak (not obtrusive but still there). Ripe fruits, darker than red, with blackberry, burlat and some strawberry. Tannins have started to smooth out but this wine will benefit from a few more years. Absolutely no rush to drink. Overall a well balanced wine and very Brunello like. A good compromise of modern/traditional producer.
2005 Podere Loreto (Mastrojanni) Brunello di Montalcino
Very good. Nice elegant nose with plenty of red fruits, cherry with a touch of savory note (salami). Good acidity, intense on the palate but maybe the more feminine Brunello of our tasting. Firm tannins. Needs a few more years. Very good.

Good to see that in such a small appellation, size wise, there is a lot of different styles. Of course, our tasting was a very small batch of what's available but except for the Collemattoni, the oak was somewhat restrained and wines showed different faces.

To me, Italian wines have that "Italian Funk", that smell that leads you to Italy right from the first sniff. Luckily, most of those Brunello has this funk, wrapped in a light oaky licorice sweetness. But that's what Brunello is about: burly, more often masculine than not, full body with plenty of dusty cherry notes that screams for venison.

The next years will be interesting to see if the market, especially the American, is still hot for those over oaked and over ripe versions or if a shift in style, just like it happened for Chardonnay, will take place. And hopefully it will !

Wines under blizzard

Spending a week in NYC during the holidays was fun. But what was even more fun was the stupid amount of snow that fell over that big blizzard, paralysing the city. I've been many times to NYC during the winter but never witnessed that mess in a city you would expect to react much quicker...anyway all that snow, wind and buses in the middle of the road deserved some hearty wines. Luckily we did not forget the wine in our cab



Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Bianco 6 (2009)


Natural winemaker from Sicily on the slopes on Mount Etna, many Cornelissen profiles have been written and I will not repeat what has already been said. Check http://www.wineanorak.com/magma.htm for a good one. You will not find any vintages on those Munjebels (he also makes a red version) but only numbers because of Italian laws. This number 6 is the 2009 vintage. Made from a blend of Carricante, Grecanico Dorato and Coda di Volpe, world famous grapes, at least in Frank's village, this wine is vinifed as a red wine: with a long skin maceration which gives the wine its cloudy orangy, golden color (no filtration at all here). No CO2 is used during fermentation hence the advise to keep it under 16C...


This wine is disturbing as you have to forget the way to drink and taste "normal" wines which is often the case with natural wine: you learn to think differently and open your mind to new aromas and texture.

Nose is somewhat reminiscent of an Ale mixed with cider. Once passing this stage, delicate floral components and orchard fruit appear. Fresh, especially for Sicily, the palate is similar and the tannins from the long skin maceration are kicking back on the finish. Really an experience that I totally enjoyed and I felt lonely on this one ! But I can understand people being put off.

Because a little of bit of sunshine was needed and because anything from Provence is great (there, I said it!), we uncorked a 2006 Le Galantin Bandol. Located in the Plan du Castellet, 4 miles away from the sea, this cuvee is close to 90% Mourvedre with the rest being grenache.
Organic practices, this wine was showing very young but still very Provencal. Plenty of garrigue with a lot of fruit. A little angular, time will help.

Domaine Barmès Buecher

Last November François Barmès was in Chicago and took some time to explain us his philosphy and taste with us a few of his wines. I've always been a big fan and meeting François was a treat.

The domain was created in 1985 by Geneviève (born Buecher) and François. The vineyards had been in their families since the 17th century. Ten years later, they converted the domain to biodynamics. At harvest, each varietal is harvested separately and picked by hand. Of course, only wild yeasts are used and absolutely no additives is permitted in the wines. François is a hard core and passionated for biodynamics and fully dedicated towards it. Wines are racked when the moon is descending and then bottled after a very light filtration.
The domain has been certified as biodynamic since 1998 and member of Biodyvin since 2002. They also are member of the "Renaissance des Appelations" (created by Nicolas Joly) since 2007.

While listening to François you could sense his passion. I did not have time to go through all the wines as I discussed with him for quite some time (he does not speak English and I was the only French). His father was not happy at all when François decided to convert to biodynamics and the magic thing was when he admitted that whenever he does not feel good, he just goes for a walk in his vineyards and resource himself.

All the wines shows a tremendous acidity and droiture.

2008 Pinot Noir Vieilles Vignes Hengst

54 years old vines on marly limestone soil. 24 months in new barrels. The white marl helps to retain some acidity and the southern exposure of the Hengst vineyard gives the ripeness to the pinot. The vines here come from the Angerville Clos des Ducs parcel in Burgundy (Geneviève nanny was related to the Angerville or something like this...can't remember exactly!) . A lot of spices and strawberry. Slightly candied.

2007 Riesling Clos Sand

Young vines (9 years) on granitic soil. Delicious. Rock water with some lime and citrus. Totally dry and an apparent minerality and high acidity. Love it.

2008 Riesling Grand Cru Hengst

30 years old vines and marly limestone soil. Higher yield than the Clos Sand. Shows more ripeness than Clos Sand (southern exposure) with some honey notes. Again those mineral notes and high acidity. The finish is exotic but always fresh and energetic. Dry.

2008 Pinot Gris Rosenberg

21 years old vines. François says that because the PG is usually a round with butter notes, relatively neutral varietal, he uses barrels here for the oxydation of the pinot gris and develop the aromatics. Botrytis is also always present.

Some honey, lime and wood on the nose. Exotic fruits. Rich and sweet with more mango on the palate. Nice floral notes to add complexity. Needs time but already not heavy and digest.

2008 Gewurtztraminer Grand Cru Steingrubler

30 years old vines, marly limestone with granite as well.
Rose Turkish delight and violets. Sweet and a little forward right now. Some orange notes. The wine avoids showing too much of the grape usual exuberance which is a good thing. This is not another varietal caricature.

Merci François !