Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of spice, balsamic and ripe-fruit character to this one. Walnut undertones. Full to medium body, a compressed structure of ripe tannins and packed-in fruit. Vibrant finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Casanova di Neri 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is a beautiful wine that recalls many of the stunning characteristics found in its high-scoring predecessor. I gave a perfect 100 points to the 2010 edition of this same wine. This expression, made two years later, continues in that tradition of excellence. The quality of fruit is profound and intense. The bouquet offers black cherry, spice, leather, balsam herb, cola and licorice. The complexity is absolutely impressive. The mouthfeel, however, is slightly thinner. The classic 2010 vintage is remembered for its twofold punch of elegance and power. Alternatively, the 2012 vintage shows aromatic intensity and less persistence on the finish, generally speaking. Having said that, this remains one Bellissimo Brunello.
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Wine Spectator
Precise balance sets the stage for cherry, black currant, violet and tobacco flavors in this smooth, intense red. The tannins are present yet well-integrated and this persists with echoes of fruit and tobacco. Reveals an element of spice on the aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2035.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.