Tenute Silvio Nardi
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| Emilia of Tenute Silvio Nardi |
This winery is yet another example of an outsider driving into the wine country, falling in love with the place and having the passion of making wine take over with time. The current owner Emilia Nardi is a known and respected name despite her being a woman, a discriminated gender even in Italy till recent years. Her father came to Montalcino in 1955 for a visit and fell in love with the place. He bought land which totals 1400 h/As out of which 80 a/As are Brunello vineyards.
Since 1985, she has been running the winery zealously.' We have 25 different types of soils on our property including totally different characteristics and the North side totally differs from the South side, giving totally different characteristics,' says Emilia. Weather is quite important too. 'We are always looking up at the sky. Every year is different. We try to harvest when phenolic maturity is at its best.' She tries to keep low clusters- 8 to a vine for Brunello whereas Rosso may have 10-12.
'People did not take me seriously as a winemaker when I was young and active,' she says with disdain. ' I haven't been to university for oenology but at the age of 42 I decided to do my executive MBA', when she lived in Trieste. Well settled and respected now she divides her time by being 3 days at the winery and 2 days as the housewife with her family.
At her Estate in Casale del Bosco, over dinner where we had Rosso 2006 and Brunello 2003 and 2001, she was candid in telling us how an Indian importer (known to us) had bought a sample shipment and never paid her for it. Fortunately, the amount was small- €1500, adding philosophically that 'there are such people in the market in every country,' she said, adding that she is keen to work with a genuine importer in India. Many importers showed keen interest in her wines.
Manachiara, a "cru" created from a specially vinified selection of the finest grapes from a designated vineyard within the estate properties is entirely her creation and is a specialty wine from the estate.
http://www.tenutenardi.com/
Castelli Martinozzi
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| Family of Castelli Martinozzi |
A small family owned vineyard with only 12 h/A of estate, it had won a silver medal in 1892 in a competition. Barely producing 10,000 bottles each of Brunello and Rosso, the family is working in the winery, Nicoló D'Afflitto, is the consultant winemaker who also works with Frescobaldi, and Dei in Montepulciano. The interesting story about the winery is that for three months it was occupied by the German Gestapo during the Second World War when the garden used to be full of German trucks.
It is situated near the Santa Restituta winery owned by Angelo Gaja. An old family Chapel says it all about the history of the family. Right inside the woods surrounding the farms one can see the remains of an Etruscan road which was build perhaps 3000 years ago, from Florence to the Maremma area near the sea on the Western side of Tuscany.
Cesare Castelli runs the fourteenth century farm with the help of his daughters Cristina and Alessandra and nephew Federico.
The Rosso 2004 tasted was a fresh and elegant wine with good balance- an outstanding wine, better than the 2005 and 2006 which were quite palatable, but not as elegant.
The 1995 was perhaps one of the best Brunellos I tasted during the trip. With a perfect balance, I could not resist noting 5/5 for this concentrated and balanced wine with plenty of fruit, spicy nose, silky tannins and a long, complex end.
Due to its small size, it may not be easy to import this wine into India but it is one winery which shows the passion, dedication and commitment the small growers of Italy can possess.
http://www.castellimartinozzi.com/en/main.htm
Tenuta Friggiali
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| Tasting Room of Tenuta Friggiali |
Women producers seem to be doing quite well in Montalcino, at least at the present time. We visit another winery run by Donna Olga who has several wineries including Tenuta Friggiali and Tenuta Pietranera which are owned by her Agricola Centolani.
Touted as one of the top 10 wineries of Montalcino, it is a big, modern winery with all the opulence that can go with it. A special emphasis is place on the branding and labelling with fancy labels carrying silver and gold coatings for various labels.
Rosso 2006 we taste is not only a decent priced wine, it has a good balance, is young and fruity. But the Rosso 2006 Pietranera is better perfumed, has nicer tannic structure and fresh acidity backbone, making it a more enjoyable and age-worthy wine.
Loggio 2004 IGT made from 80% Sangiovese, 12% Merlot and 8% Cabernet is a darker coloured, full bodied wine with spicy aromas and a peppery and pleasant flavour with a lasting impression on the palate.
We also taste the 2003 Brunello Friggiali and the Pietranera which still seem to be closed. However, Donna Olga 2003 has silky tannins and a great balance, showing better structure and flavours than the previous two Brunellos- an outstanding wine, that.
Ricardo Cotarella, the famous Tuscan winemaker consultant gives his name and hand to the wines which are highly awarded wines.
The estate also runs an agri-turismo where one can get a double room for as low as € 95 a night with breakfast.
http://www.tenutafriggialiepietranera.it
http://www.tenutedonnaolga.it/
Poggio di Sotto
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| Vineyard of Poggio di Sotto |
Owned by Elizabeth and Piero Palmucci this 20-year old winery is situated in Castelnuovo dell 'Abate, near the medieval abbey of Sant'Antimo.
Collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Milan, helped planting proper vines selecting most suitable clones of Sangiovese and proper density of vines per hectare.
Giulio Gambelli, a famous Tuscan winemaker and consultant has been associated with the project from the beginning.
'Our Brunello needs long years of maturation in the barrels in order to allow all the aromas and the other organoleptic components of the Sangiovese to expand and evolve in the most natural and harmonious way and to ultimately reveal all its original and unique characteristics,' says Palmucci who believes his Rosso is better than 80% of the Brunello produced in the area.
The 2005 Rosso was brilliant ruby red colour, clear and clean wine with plenty of bouquet and flavours-almost crafted to perfection. It has spent two years in casks. It will last longer than other's Rossos, believes Palmucci, who feels that it will last for 10-15 years and is best to drink in 2010-12.
To maintain the natural expressiveness of the Brunello, Palmucci uses no outside agents and uses the yeast of the grapes only; neither does he filter his wines.
The 2003 Brunello spends 2 years in oak barrels but all 5 years are spent in oak casks. Flavour of black cherries is evident. It is a Balanced and very spicy wine. Acidic backbone makes it fresh and drinkable right now. According to Palmucci, it is drinkable right now and will last for at least in 20 years.
Here again the 1995 was simply superb and deserved the 5/5 it got.
Piero is not a protagonist for decanting. He feels Giulio has a perfect palate for tasting and he suggest wines to be drunk by opening the bottle the night before.
Wine making prowess of this passionate producer was recognized when he won an Oscar in wine for 2007 in the red wine category. His wines have been getting vey high scores from Robert Parker.
http://www.poggiodisotto.com
Tenuta Caparzo
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| Tenuta Caparzo vines |
Here is yet another woman who is making her gender proud for the entrepreneurial and management capabilities. Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini who also owns Altesino Estate next door making high quality wines, produces not only red wines but very palatable white wines as well as we found out at a long tasting session followed by dinner. The 80 h/A vineyards yield mostly Sangiovese giving both Brunello and Rosso. They also produce Sant'Antimo DOC wines which give a lot of freedom in choosing the grapes and style of making wine.
Le Grance with 85% Chardonnay and the balance Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc is perhaps the first white wine from Montalcino. It has flavours of dried fruits and aromas of spices- a very pleasant wine. Ca'del Pazzo (house of mad people) based on which the winery has been named too, is the red equivalent version made from Sangiovese and Cabernet.
It offers many wines including IGT, Moscadello, Brunello and Rosso etc. but their signature wine is La casa made from a single vineyard of the same name. The ' 99 is a near-perfect wine with smooth tannins, great balance, pleasant flavours and long persistent end.
http://www.caparzo.it, http://www.altesino.it
Fuligni
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| With Maria Fuligni (R) |
This 100 h/A vineyard estate is owned by Maria Flora Fuligni and her nephew Roberto Fuligni. Maria was kind enough to show us her cellar at a short notice before we took off for Rome, started our return journey. The old 18th century home in which is also housed the cellar, is quite charming-filled with antiques. Part of the residence has been renovated in the recent times making it more comfortable. The view of Montalcino hills at a higher level in the East is truly breathtaking.
The winery is very traditional. The wine is laid in 500 liter and 750 liter Slovenia oak barrels from which we sampled some of the 20054 and 2006 which was coming up slowly but surely.
http://www.fuligni.it/eng/cantina_en.html
Brunello is truly a great wine from Italy. There are over 210 producers all of which cannot be visited. Surely there are other interesting wineries we could have visited but despite the action packed programme, it was an impossible task. Perhaps, next time. A presto!
Subhash Arora
for details about all the wineries, visit http://www.consorziobrunellodimontalcino.it/
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