Montalcino Report

The New York Times article on the Val d'Orcia (Orcia River valley where is produced the Brunello di Montalcino)

 

The New York Times has published 
this article about the Val d'Orcia and vacations in the area of Montalcino.

 

1988 Il Poggione Brunello tasting notes by Andrea Gori sommelier

Andrea Gori, photo thanks VinoGlocal.it. 

Herewith are the tasting notes for Brunello di Montalcino 1988 by Il Poggione by one of Italian best sommeliers Andrea Gori of the Trattoria da Burde in Florence. Andrea makes the note that the 1988 vintage was not scored as high as the 1985 but also became an excellent vintage for the Brunello wine.

"A small miracle already rich color and hint garnet, showing at least 10 years younger. Even the nose of violets and the flower is so mature but betrays not a flash. Strawberry jam, cherries, berries mixed with tea, coffee, anise, a newly emerging service sector. It always amazes in his mouth more for maintenance and integrity, a tremendous wine that kidnaps you and you cover the label and rub his eyes. Much meat, so much depth and so much still ahead, however, enjoyable and prodigious"

The farmhouse of Il Poggione

Our friend Jeremy Parzen has visited the farmhouse of Il Poggione on his "luna di miele", his "honeymoon" with his wife Tracey. He has written this post on their lodging at the farmhouse. 

You can see Sant'Angelo in Colle (where my family lives) in the foto that has been taken by Jeremy.

Congratulations Tracey and Jeremy!

Click here to read the post "Tuscan Rooms with a View" and to see the fotos.

 

Please be our fan on Facebook

We have created a new Tenuta Il Poggione Facebook fan page. Please join us by clicking here.

Benvenuto Brunello 2010 Day 2: the tile of Yuko and Shin Kibayashi

The higlight of Saturday's Benvenuto was the press conference with the evaluation of the vintage 2009 (4 stars) and the pose of the tile (above), which is posited in the wall of the municipal office of Montalcino each year.

This year the tile was designed by the Japanese artists sister and brother Yuko e Shin Kibayashi, creators of the famous wine related Japanese manga "The drops of God".
 

Patrizio Cencioni the president of Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino helped them to post the tile.

 

  

Benvenuto Brunello Day 1

Day 1 of Benvenuto Brunello

I was pouring Rosso di Montalcino 08, Brunello 05 and Riserva 04 together with Paolo, our "Ragioniere Anziano".

Journalist day today and tomorrow nad Sun and Mon will be for the trade.

 
 

Tasting 1967 Il Poggione and 1969 Col d'Orcia Brunello di Montalcino before the Benvenuto Brunello

Thursday evening we have organized the press dinner for some journalist, in cooperation with Col d'Orcia. Chef Roberto Rossi from Ristorante Silene was cooking and the following wines have been served:

Il Poggione Lo Sbrancato Rosé with the aperitif

Rosso di Montalcino 2008 Il Poggione and Col d'Orcia

Brunello di Montalcino 2005 Il Poggione and Col d'Orcia

Brunello di Montalcino 2004 Riserva - Vigna Paganelli Il Poggione

Brunello di Montalcino 1999 Riserva Col d'Orcia

Brunello di Montalcino 1967 Il Poggione

Brunello di Montalcino 1969 Riserva Col d'Orcia

Moscadello di Montalcino Il Poggione and Col d'Orcia

Also Leopoldo Franceschi (owner of Il Poggione, left) and Francesco Marone Cinzano (owner of Col d'Orcia, right) attended the dinner.

 

Benvenuto Brunello 2010 begins 19 february tomorrow

The grand tasting of the Benvenuto Brunello the "welcome Brunello" begins tomorrow 19 february for the journalists and then 21 february for the public. We at the Tenuta Il Poggione will be pouring the Rosso di Montalcino 08, Brunello 05 and Riserva 04, and the 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva "Paganelli", which has always been made from our best vineyard "Paganelli" with the oldest vines on the estate but it is the first time to be labeled "Paganelli" in the history. We hope to see you there! 

 

Robert Parker notes on the 2003 Paganelli cru Brunello di Montalcino: "I was completely blown away"

Although the "riserva" bottling of Brunello di Montalcino by the Tenuta Il Poggione has always been made from grapes sourced exclusively from our top cru, the Paganelli vineyard, with "old" vines up to the 40 and more years of age, the 2003 Riserva is the first time in the history that we have labeled the wine as a cru "Paganelli".

Here is what Robert Parker reviewer Antonio Galloni has said about the wine when he tasted it last year. We have presented the wine the week before the last in Chicago and New York and we will present it this week to journalists and to consumers this week at the Benvenuto Brunello in Montalcino.

"The 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli is made from old vines in the estate’s Paganelli vineyard in Sant’Angelo in Colle. It is surprisingly fresh in its expression of red cherries, tobacco, leather, earthiness and spices. Deceptively medium in body, the wine reveals gorgeous length and a refined, silky finish, both qualities that are exceptionally rare in this vintage. This is high-class Sangiovese. In the torrid 2003, winemaker Fabrizio Bindocci gave the Riserva 12 days of fermentation/maceration on the skins, and aged the wine in large French oak casks. For the Riserva the estate vinfies with 100% stems, and also uses a higher percentage of newer oak. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2003 Riserva merit a higher score in a few years. The 1975 Riserva – from another super-hot vintage- was breathtaking when last tasted about two years ago?.and the Paganelli vineyard was only 10 years old at the time! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2028. 

I was completely blown away by the wines I tasted from Il Poggione this year. Readers who want to experience first-class Sangiovese from Montalcino won’t want to miss these exceptional wines. Winemaker Fabrizio Bindocci and his team have done an exceptional job for which they deserve all the praise in the world".

Antonio Galloni
 

A video about the Italian Wine Master in New York

Directed by my friend Mary Anne Sullivan! Thank you, Mary Anne!