Sangiovese day in London

Massive and very informative tasting organized by Hunt and Speller in London, this event brought together over 100 producers of sangiovese from Tuscany, of course, as well as Romagna, Umbria, Marche and Basilicata. We learn a lot from the booklet distributed to the participants as well as from a masterclass dedicated to sangiovese from the Romagna region.

Today there are over 65,000 hectares of sangiovese planted in Italy, about 10% of all vineyards in the country, and it is therefore by far the most popular variety. It is featured in 112 DOC and DOCG as well as 88 IGT (indicazione geografica tipica, roughly the equivalent of the French vin de pays).

Its history goes back a long way: first mentioned in the XVII century, the name means "the blood of Jupiter", and it is attributed to monks from Romagna. Recent DNA research proves sangiovese is a cross of Ciliegiolo, a Tuscan variety with which is now frequently blended, and the almost extinct Calabrese di Montenuovo.

While sangiovese is mostly known because of Chianti and Brunello, it is the only variety planted on both sides of Apennines, originally by monks. Quality wines mostly to be found on hills. It is in Romagna that we find the oldest vines of the country, sangiovese plants that are over 90 years old.

Originally and for a long time sold in bulk, in the 1970s some producers began began bottling, looking for quality and enjoyment and not just calories and nourishing.

Now there are about 6000 ha of sangiovese in Romagna, mostly on clay soil. Prices still quite low but edging up as quality and recognition improve.

Walkaround tasting

Isole e Olena

2020 Chianti  Classico
Fruity, can feel the alcohol. Score 88

Cepparello 2019 IGT

Olena's battleship, powerful wine still young, with a complex and long finish. Score 90

Interesting story that of Isole and Olena, recently sold to a larger group.

Castello di Vecchiomaggio

Chianti Classico Guado Alto 2021 

A wine to be drunk young, fruity and straightforward, like a Chianti of the good old times. Score 90

Chianti Classico Riserva 2021

A sublime chianti with elegance, finesse, length and yet a strong personality. Score 92

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020 Le Bolle
Ready, strong structure, complexity and length, a classic in the true sense of the word. Score 93

Tiezzi

Poggio Cerrino 2017 Brunello

Structured, still hard sensations prevail, need time. Score 92

Poggio Cerrino 2015 Brunello

This vintage is ready now. Score 93

Fuligni

Brunello 2018

Balanced and ready. Score 88

Brunello Riserva 2016

Old vines, complex. Score 91

Brunello Riserva 2012

Balanced and ready, very complex. Score 93

Brunello 2007

At its peak. Score 92

Tenuta Buon Tempo

Brunello 2018

Native yeasts only, large wood vat and French oak for 3 years. Score 92

Brunello 2015 Riserva

Ready now, a full, elegant complex wine, one of the best I tasted today. Score 94

Frescobaldi

Chianti Rufina Riserva 2018 vecchie viti

A round wine, their entry product falls easily in the space of excellence. Score 92

Chianti Classico Tenuta Perano Rialzi 2018

Round, complex and long. Score 94

Brunello Castelgiocondo 2018

A harmonious wine, a top Brunello. Score 96

Brunello Ripe al Convento 2017 Riserva

The best today, this wine has it all, intensity, complexity, length, balance. Score 97

Cupano

Brunello 2014

Round, smooth, elegant. Score 93

Cava d'Onice

Rosso di Montalcino 2020

Blend from 11 plots, large Slavonian vats. Score 88

Brunello 2018 Colombaio

Only half an hectare of young vines: need to wait for this one. Score 90

Brunello 2015 Riserva

Pronto, mineral, sapid. Score 94

Brunello 2018 and Riserva 2017 "en primeur" in London

Exceptional tasting today of Brunello di Montalcino en primeur: 2018 vintage and 2017 "riserva" (aged one extra year). Kudos to the organizers Hunt and Speller, a sure bet when talking Italian wine in London. Unusually, instead of the traditional walkaround, we were assigned individual tables and a team of helpful waiters and waitresses poured the wines we requested in batches of six. A much more pleasant and efficient organization. Presumably the first event of such kind in the UK!

A few facts from the useful catalogue provided: Montalcino only sports 2000 ha of production for Brunello and 500 ha for its little brother Rosso di Montalcino and this total surface area has not increased for some time. What has increased is the world's knowledge and appreciation for Brunello's 10 million bottles or so that hit the market every year! These are lovingly cultivated by some 260 producers.

Some dates to remember: DOC received in 1966, Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino created in 1967, DOCG received in 1980.

Not that anyone needs reminding, but Brunello can only be made with 100% sangiovese, the iconic Tuscan variety. Maximum yield is 52 hl/ha. Minimum 24 months aging in oak casks, minimum 4 months aging in bottle (6 for riserva) and release not earlier than 1st january of the 5th year after harvest (6th for riserva).

One reason Brunello is so popular, despite rising prices, is probably that it is a versatile wine: its velvety elegance can be paired with a wide range of food: obviously red meat but also many pasta sauces and lots of roasted or baked dishes, including fish.

Below a few tasting notes for the best of the best today. It was a hard choice as all Brunellos are good wines, most are excellent and quite a few are exceptional. But here is my list of stars which I scored 90 and above, best on top.

Let's get started!

Pian delle Querci, 2017 riserva, 97

Tenuta Conte Pavoni - Loacker Wine Estates, 2017 riserva Molino al Vento, 40yo vines,biodynamic, 97

Fattoria dei Barbi, 2017 riserva, some vines 45+yo, 96

Casa Raia, 2018, 47-year-old vines, organic, 96

Patrizia Cencioni, 2018, 96

Fattoria dei Barbi, 2018 Vigna del Fiore, 96

Pian delle Querci, 2018, 96

Casisano, 2017 riserva, 95

Ruffino, 2018 Greppone Mazzi, organic, 95

Ruffino, 2017 Greppone Mazzi riserva, organic, 95

Castello Banfi, 2017 riserva, needs time, 94

Salicutti, 2017 Teatro, 94

Fattoi, 2017 riserva, 94

Capanna, 2017 riserva, 40+yo vines, 94 

Col d'Orcia, 2015 riserva, 45yo vines, 93

Tenute Silvio Nardi, 2018 vigneto Manachiara, 93

Mocali, 2017 riserva, 93

Paradiso di Cacuci, 2017 riserva, organic, 92

Altesino, 2018 Vigna Montosoli, organic, 92

Le Gode, 2018 Vigna Montosoli, organic, 92

See you next time