When I can afford it, Brunello di Montalcino is my wine of choice. It is made with the Sangiovese grape, like my everyday favorite, Chianti, but Brunello is the full expression of what the grape can become. Brunello can only be produced in a tiny town in Tuscany, Montalcino, and its production is heavily regulated by the Italian government so they can ensure that only the best bears the name Brunello.
I fell in love with wine in Italy, and while I didn’t get to drink Brunello all that often, I had some meaningful exposure to it early in my wine drinking career. And, since returning to the states, I have tried to always have a bottle or two on hand for those times that I have a craving for it.
Now, Brunello can be frustrating for several reasons. First and foremost, it is one of those wines that have the potential to age forever, so when you buy a bottle, (ideally) you have to play the waiting game to wait for the wine to hit its “peak.” This can be frustrating because after spending 50+ dollars on wine, you are likely going to want to drink it. And, waiting too long to open it can cause the wine to start to decline and not be as good as it once was. Also, when you do open a bottle, it is recommended that you open it 9+ hours before drinking it. This means you have to open a bottle to drink at dinner while you are eating breakfast. This is a pain, but also kind of nice because you get to start your day with the promise of Brunello and have it to look forward to all day long.
Part of my attraction to Brunello comes from the fact that 3 of the great vintages of recent history for the wine have been the years that I happened to live in Italy. 1997 was considered one of the best vintages in history, 2004 was very good, and reports are that 2006 (not yet released) is way up there as well. I think that I am just a good luck charm for the wine, so maybe I should move to Italy to ensure that every vintage is perfect. I’m not usually one for discriminating based on vintages because bad wines can be found in good vintages and vice versa, but my living in Italy trend and the quality of Brunello from each year was too much for me to overlook.
Just the other night was one of those rare nights that I got to open up a bottle of Brunello. This one was from 2003, and even at 8 years old, it was extremely young tasting (they mellow out a bit with age and gain some depth). Granted, I had this wine at a restaurant with a friend and we didn’t get to open it 9 hours early like we should have, but it was still an incredible wine and we got to experience one of the great traits of wine- it evolved with each glass. As the wine reacted to the air being swirled around the glass and the bottle, the wine opened up so that the first glass was different than last. Wine is alive in its bottle, and when it dies, it turns to vinegar. If you want proof that wine is alive, try a bottle of Brunello or young Bordeaux and see how it evolves from the moment you open the bottle until the minute you pour the last glass.
Because opening a bottle of Brunello is a special occasion, it demands a good meal to go with it. The other night, we had pappardelle al cinghiale (pasta with boar), a classic Tuscan dish, and perfect to pair with the wine. Good steaks also pair extremely well with the Brunello, you just have to be sure that you eat a meal that will stand up to, thus enhancing the wine, rather than a meal that will just be overpowered by the wine.
If you like wine and haven’t had the opportunity to try a Brunello yet, I highly recommend it. It is likely to be a fairly expensive bottle, but it’ll be worth it.
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