2012 Il Palazzone Brunello Di Montalcino
2012 Il Palazzone Brunello Di Montalcino The wine shows great complexity and structure. On the nose; mint, eucalyptus and a little waft of violets; dark fruits abound, backed by forest floor and wet stone. On the palate, there is tobacco, leather and a a touch of chocolate just discernible on the long and satisfying finish. The juicy acidity and firm tannins are perfectly balanced. This is a wine of promise that will benefit enormously from time in the cellar. It has all the austerity and resolute character of traditional Brunello.
Montalcino
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before release and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.
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