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Terroir and Determination: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Feb 2023
There was a time when Vino Nobile di Montepulciano would have been lumped into an article of assorted Tuscan villages and wines. The work producers have put into improving their wines is increasingly evident. However, there are still hurdles the region needs to cross.
The Pendulum Swings: 2012 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jan 2023
The 2012 Brunello di Montalcinos immediately appealed to buyers, consumers and restaurant-goers. While warm and dry, 2012 yielded balanced wines, but the big question has always been: how well will they mature over time?
2018 Brunello di Montalcino: The Rubik’s Cube Vintage
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Dec 2022
Was it hot, was it cool, was it dry, was it rainy, was it balanced–is it classic? These are all questions surrounding the 2018 vintage in Montalcino. I’ve watched the 2018s evolve for years, and now, they are ready to hit the market in January. But will consumers be running out to add them to their collections? It’s time to find out.
The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Oct 2022
Rosso di Montalcino used to be the catch-all category for producers to generate cash quickly or soak up fruit from younger vineyards before the vines reached maturity. Today, things are changing very quickly. There’s a new focus on the Rosso category, the result of a need to satisfy a younger generation that doesn’t want to wait 10 to 20 years for Brunello to age, as well as the realization that it is increasingly difficult to make balanced, long-aging wines in these recent torrid vintages.
Book Excerpt from Alessandro Masnaghetti’s Chianti Classico: The Complete Atlas of the UGA Vineyards
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jul 2022
In this excerpt from his book Chianti Classico: The Complete Atlas of the UGA Vineyards, Alessandro Masnaghetti examines the new UGAs (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive), Chianti Classico’s version of place names, with historical background, in-depth information on soils and detailed maps for each UGA, plus a deep dive into the Lamole UGA.
Chianti Classico & Neighbors: Looking at the 2020s and 2019s
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jul 2022
This year’s releases from Chianti Classico are a bit of a mixed bag. Most of that is attributable to the natural diversity of this large appellation and the unevenness of the 2019s. Even so, there are a lot of gorgeous wines in this report, many of them entry-level Chianti Classicos that offer superb quality for the money. As always, this report focuses on Chianti Classico, but also includes wines from neighboring appellations.
Cellar Favorite: San Giusto a Rentennano Chianti Classico 2002-2010
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, Italy: Tuscany
, Jul 2022
“Would you like to taste some older wines?” Luca Martini di Cigala asks as he starts to open bottles for our recent tasting of new releases. Over the years, I have been fortunate to taste complete verticals of both Percarlo and La Ricolma, along with many other wines at the ten-year mark.
Tuscany: New Releases from the Coast
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jul 2022
I found a lot to like in this year’s crop of new releases from the Tuscan Coast. The best Vermentinos and Morellinos offer terrific value, while at the higher end, many of the region’s reference-point wines turned out beautifully. Moreover, a greater emphasis on freshness yields contemporary wines that marry energy with the natural opulence that comes so easily on the coast, a pretty appealing combination in my book.
2019 Tuscany Preview
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Mar 2022
This preview article focuses on a number of new releases ahead of my comprehensive reports on coastal Tuscany and Chianti Classico scheduled for later this year. Most of the wines are from the 2019 vintage, which is revealing itself to be full of surprises, in the best sense of the term. A continued move towards more nuanced winemaking throughout Tuscany really comes through in the best of these wines.
The Pros and Cons of Rosso di Montalcino and Beyond
Italy: Tuscany, featured
, Jan 2022
As I continue to taste through the 2017 Brunellos, the importance and possibilities of Rosso di Montalcino are more evident now than ever before. Rosso provides a great opportunity to take a peek at the Brunello vintages that are on the way, even if that approach is not without its pitfalls, as I explain in this article. It’s time to take a look at the 2019 and 2020 Rossos that are entering the market.