Friday, May 11, 2012

ANOTHER GREAT BRUNELLO TASTING ... BACK To BACK BANNER VINTAGES 2007 and 2006 BRUNELLO RISERVA .... New York ..May 2012




VINCENZO ABRUZZESSE
with a Bottloe of His Great Brunello
CALDCAVA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2007





GIACOMMO CASANOVA
with a Bottle of His Famed
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO TENUTA NUOVA 2007





 Well I was wondering what to expect when my cousin Joe asked me if I wanted to go to Brunello tasting at City Winery with him. He said it was with James Suckling (a Top guy at Wine Spectator and # 1 with Italian Wines for WSp) and David Suckiling.. Joe didn't give me details so I figured it was a Wine Spectator Event which is usually more about a lot of BSing making Money for the Wine Spectator and Markin Shanken as well as sucking up than anything else. Well me being in the wine and restaurant industry for more than 20 years, I go to a multitude of industry Wine Tastings, Wine Luncheons and Wine Dinners along with other events of the highest caliber. this tasting was geared toward retail buyers and novice wine enthusiast, a pay to go to event. Not the kind I usually go to, mine are more of the insider type. Well my cousin Joe wanted to go, so I went along for the ride. The day of the event I went on line to see what it was all about. It was not a Wine Spectator Event but one held and organized by James Suckling and David Sokolin. Ok. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary. My cousin drove in from Long island and met me at my house (apartment in Greenwich Village). We walked over to City Winery. I saw my friend Marco poring a wine and went over to his table. It was the Brunello Normale 2007 from Fabio Tassi. Wow! It was great and a precursor of things to come. The Tassi Brunello 2007 was outstanding. i couldn't beleive my eyes. My tastebuds. This wine was a perfect textbook Brunello, perfectly balance, correct in weight, not too heavy not too light but full of wonderful and perfect Sangiovese Grosss taste. The tasi Brunello Franci Riserva 2006 was equally good. Excuse me great! oh and by the way, this tasting was one special one as the wines being tasted, the Brunello di Montalcino 2007 and Brunello Riservas 2006 where two back to back vintages where of the highest caliber of ratings of mid-90s fro each vintage as a vintage overall. Outstanding, the pair of 2007 Normale and 2006 Riserva Brunellos. It's hard for me to remember back when I tasted so many great wines at one tasting. I was shocked. when after wine, Brunello after marvelous Brunello were oustanding. I couldn't believe it. they were almost all good. "Excuse me, Great!" All except for those offerings of Capanna and Uccelliera fo which neither of these producers thrilled me with their offerings as almost all others did.
   As I stated, pretty much all the the Brunello on hand were outstanding, well balanced, tasty and indicative of what great Brunello should taste like. 


Here is a list of the standouts:

Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Valdcava Brunello Di Montalcino Del Piano Riserva 2006
Carpzao Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Carparzo Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva
Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
 Poderina Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 Riserva
Lisini Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Livio Sassetti Brunello Di Montalcino "Pertamali" 2007
Tassi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Brunello Di Montalcino Castello Banfi 2007
Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 2007
Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara 2006





Daniel Bellino Zwicke