News Emanuele Pellucci

A preview of Brunello 2012: a memorable year

A preview of Brunello 2012: a memorable year

Benvenuto Brunello closed the 2017 edition of the Tuscan Previews. For the occasion, Montalcino welcomed the Brunello 2012 – the vintage that will go on sale this year – with an incredible series of very high quality wines.

Brunello 2012: elegant and balanced

The line up of Brunello 2012 wines is made up of less full-bodied and powerful wines, with less wood, in favour of the expression of great aroma, balanced, fine and elegant tannins. And the “five stars” attributed to the 2016 vintage by the special committee of experts set up by the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium underlines the success of the debut of the 2012 vintage on the market. “It was in 1967, the day after gaining DOC recognition, that the Consorzio was set up in order to protect our great wine and so this year is the 50th anniversary of its founding,” explains Patrizio Cencioni, president of the Consortium.

Montalcino wine in figures

Here are some figures in brief: 13,932,000 bottles were produced in 2016 (9,100,000 Brunello, 4,500,000 Rosso, 300,000 Sant’Antimo, 32,000 Moscadello), with a slight decrease compared to the previous year (-4.71%) due to the lower number of bottles on the market, due in turn to the lower grape production in 2011. The turnover for the winemaking sector in Montalcino was around 170 million euros.

Our tasting notes

We have chosen 11 particularly deserving wines from the best tastings of Brunello 2012 and Brunello Riserva 2011. Here are our tasting notes.

Solaria – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €40
Score: 95
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel with intense initial pumping over, maceration on the pomace; ageing for 36 months in medium-sized oak barrels, followed by bottle maturation for a further 12 months
Description: a deep ruby-red colour with garnet highlights, a caressing aroma with ample fruit, good structure on the palate, soft with an acidic backbone which maintains the freshness.
In a nutshell: Typical and elegant

Fanti – Le Macchiarelle, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2011

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €70
Score: 93
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel for 35 days, ageing in tonneau for 36 months and bottle maturation for a further 24 months.
Description: A very intense ruby-red colour with slight garnet highlights, notes of vanilla, sweet spices and slightly oaky, accompanied by hints of ripe sour cherry and plum jam, a soft and balanced wine
In a nutshell: The Fanti tradition

 Tenuta Le Potazzine – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €60
Score: 93
Technical notes: Traditional fermentation with spontaneous yeasts and continual pumping over and punching down for over 30 days, ageing in 30 and 50-hl Slavonian oak barrels for 42 months, bottle maturation for a further 8 months.
Description: A lustrous ruby-red colour with garnet glints, aromas of redcurrants, balsamic and salty sensations; the balsamic notes are complemented by fragrant red fruits, lingering finish
In a nutshell: A velvety wine

 Salvioni – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €110
Score: 92
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel with frequent pumping over, ageing in 18-22-hl Slavonian oak barrels for 36 months, bottle maturation for a further 12 months
Description: An intense ruby-red colour, aromas of undergrowth with clear red berry fruit and ripe cherry on the nose, warm, soft and persistent on the palate
In a nutshell: A Brunello that never disappoints

Lisini – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €40
Score: 92
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel with maceration on the skins for 18-24 days; malolactic fermentation, ageing in 11-40-hl Slavonian oak barrels for 42 months, followed by bottle maturation for a further 6-8 months
Description: An intense ruby-red colour with slight garnet highlights, well-orchestrated and slightly tannic, it expresses marked cherry notes and other ripe red fruits, balsamic notes, fine tannins and very lingering on the palate
In a nutshell: It has always been one of the Brunello crus

 Tenuta Il Poggione – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €40
Score: 92
Technical notes: 15-20 days with a “submerged cap” in steel vats with native yeasts, malolactic in steel, ageing for 36 months in large French oak barrels followed by long bottle maturation
Description: Ruby-red colour, intense and persistent on the nose with notes of red fruits; warm and balanced on the palate, with velvety tannins and a long aromatic length
In a nutshell: A guarantee of excellent ageing

 Le Chiuse – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €55
Score: 92
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel, ageing in 20-20-hl Slavonian oak barrels for 34 months, then it is reassembled and bottled for further maturation
Description: An intense ruby-red colour with slight garnet and cherry highlights, fruity notes of morello cherry and plum, balsamic and mineral; it is overwhelming but not aggressive on the palate
In a nutshell: A Brunello that plays on finesse

Il Marroneto – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €60
Score: 90
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel with continual pumping over for the first 2 days; fermentation lasts for about 11-12 days; ageing in 25-quintal oak barrels for 39 months, bottle maturation for a further 10 months
Description: Intense ruby, fruity aroma, balsamic notes, fine tannins and lingering finish
In a nutshell: The expression of the producer’s personality

Altesino – Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €65
Score: 90
Technical notes: Fermentation in steel with pumping over and manual punching down; ageing in Slavonian oak barrels for 24 months and then 3-4 months in medium-toast Allier barriques, followed by bottle maturation for a further 4 months
Description: Ruby red that softens to garnet with ageing, ample aroma with notes of sour cherry, blackberries, purple raspberries, liquorice, vanilla and pink peppercorns; warm and velvety on the palate
In a nutshell: A great meditation wine

 Baricci – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes: 100% Sangiovese
Price: €40
Score: 90
Technical notes: Traditional fermentation with intense extraction and frequent pumping over, maceration on the skins for 18-20 days, ageing in Slavonian oak barrels for 36 months, followed by bottle maturation for a further 12 months
Description: Intense ruby with slight garnet highlights, well-orchestrated and slightly tannic, it expresses marked notes of cherry and other red fruits, a fine and elegant wine for long ageing
In a nutshell: One of the best expressions of the Montosoli cru

Col d’Orcia – Poggio al Vento, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2010

Winegrowing area: Montalcino
Grapes 100% Sangiovese
Price: €80
Score: 90
Technical notes: Fermentation under a controlled temperature of 28°C in 50-60-hl steel vats in order to be able to best select the different areas of the vineyard; ageing for 3 years in 25 and 75-hl Allier and Slavonian oak barrels. 16 months of bottle maturation
Description: Intense ruby-red colour, fruity notes accompanied by spices, powerful and well-orchestrated, with ripe and caressing tannins balanced with pleasant acidity; a fruity and lingering aftertaste
In a nutshell: A wine for very long ageing

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