Winemaker Notes
Bright and intense red color. To the nose, the first impact is ethereal and citrusy. As it opens up, notes of red fruits become evident – particularly cherry, raspberry and black cherry. In the palate the generosity of vintage 2017 becomes evident: the tannins are soft and silky, balanced by a subdued acidity, which perfectly embodies the energy of this sunny vintage. The ending is long and elegant, fresh and harmonious.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Casanova di Neri 2017 Brunello di Montalcino delivers unexpected grace and a floral profile that is not common to find in this scorching-hot and dry vintage. In faithful Casanova di Neri fashion, the wine is bold and dark in appearance, and although the bouquet is dominated by purple and black fruits, there is a brief interlude of fresh garden rose or lilac. That little moment changes up the momentum of this wine in a most positive way by allowing for a harmony of low tones and high tones that are well matched here. The wine is robust, structured and velvety to the palate, but ultimately this expression is far more delicate than I would have ever expected for a 2017 Brunello. This is a nice surprise.
Rating: 94+ -
Wine Spectator
This fleshy red is introduced by graphite, mint and wild herb aromas, with plum and cherry flavors as the main themes and earth, tobacco and underbrush notes in supporting roles. Balanced, ending in a savory aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2043.
-
Decanter
Casanova di Neri’s ‘white label’ is crafted from the estate’s vineyards in Montalcino’s northeast. The 2017 edition also sees grapes from Cerretalto included, which is usually bottled separately. It emerges slowly, giving scents of violets, yellow broom and mint. The palate is currently a bit angular but the core reaches deep. It hints promisingly at cherry, clay, iron and graphite. An intriguing, intricate expression with noteworthy freshness.
-
James Suckling
A firm and chewy 2017 that is slightly austere but still provides a lively and dark-fruited palate. Medium to full body. Give this a year or two to soften. Try after 2023.
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.