Welcoming Brunellos in Montalcino

On Monday, Feb. 23, I took a road trip to Montalcino to experience an exciting and exclusive occasion in the heart of Brunello wine country. (Brunello was first created by the Biondi Santi family in the late 19th century and named “the brunette” for it’s dark red color.) Thanks to C. Dodici Vintner’s Club Program Director Silvia Anchini who was able to secure a ticket for me, I had the good fortune of attending "Benvenuto Brunello 2009." During this four-day event held in the Fortezza in Montalcino, Brunello producers from all over southern Tuscany presented their 2004 vintages to wine merchants, distributors and other professionals in the wine industry. Over170 wineries were represented this year, so it’s a good thing my guide was Castello di Casole’s Cellar Master, Gherardo Fedrigo.

There were about 40 long tables set up inside a big tent with 20 or so wineries per row and the place was packed full of people sniffing, swirling and tasting. Gherardo chose six wineries for us to focus on and each of the wines we tasted were delicious. Pian delle Vigne, produced by Antinori, was my favorite because it was slightly sweeter and smoother on my novice American palate than Brunellos, made of 100% Sangiovese, typically are. Of the others we sampled―Col d’Orcia, Lisini, Argiano and Barbi―Gherardo informed me that his grandmother prefers Lisini over almost all Brunellos because it is still produced the “old-fashioned way.”

After an hour of tastings we were ready for lunch. Rather than compete with the crowds in Montalcino, we headed to a tiny village 8 km. from Montalcino called Sant’ Angelo in Colle. With only seven tables in the quaint interior and al fresco dining in warm weather, Trattoria Il Lecchio is one of those little gems you hope to come across when you venture off the beaten path. I ordered a salad with thinly sliced raw artichokes and Parmesean followed by a steaming bowl of chick pea soup, while Gherardo had pork sausage with white beans and a glass of Montalcino di Rosso from the Sesta di Sopra winery just down the road. It was the perfect meal for a wintry day.

Our next stop was the Abbazia di Sant’ Antimo, reputedly one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in all of Italy which dates from the 12th century. Though the frescoes on the walls are all but gone, the alabaster stonework is well-preserved and there is the hauntingly beautiful sound of monks chanting in the background. Apparently the Benedictine monks who live nearby do actually chant in the church at scheduled times of day and it would be ideal to plan a visit during one of these 12-minute sessions.

Our final destination was the Argiano winery, one of the super premier producers of Brunello di Montalcino. Our guide, Eliza, was kind enough to give us brief tour of the exquisite estate which included a visit to the seeping, mold-covered cellar where wine barrels have been stored since the 15th-century. The estate and its magnificent villa dating back to 1570 are owned by the Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano, significant other to Castello di Casole winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers. (Noemi and Hans have partnered on a winery in Patagonia called Bodega Noemi.) I purchased a Rosso di Montalcino and two bottles of “A Lisa” from Bodega Noemi which Gherardo himself had a hand in making.