Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino 2017
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Give this wine some time in the glass and you will be rewarded by beautiful evolution and depth.
It is a deep ruby with subtle orange reflexes. The nose is big, complex and very warm, showing dried fruit but also the typical herbs of a hot Mediterranean summer day: thyme, rosemary, lavender and minty aromas. Even the scent of sun-parched dry earth comes to mind. Then there is coffee and dark chocolate, and – surprisingly - white pepper.
In the mouth firm tannins paired with juicy acidity give this wine a beautiful structure that embraces its warm flavors and powerful elegance. Definitely mouth filling while the memory of dark chocolate lingers towards the finish.
The long finish makes me yearn for the next sip and the next. Of course Sangiovese typically is meant to be enjoyed with food, but with this one I seem to not need any, I could gladly go on savoring, discovering new layers with each sip.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Elegantly structured this lovely red has scents recalling camphor, blue flowers, dark spice and coffee bean. Smooth and savory, the linear palate features juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry and star anise set against taut, polished tannins.
-
James Suckling
Lots of ripe berry and sandalwood, with some licorice on the nose. Full-bodied and layered with bark, mushroom and wet earth, with some balsamic undertones to the fruit. Big, yet not overly tannic. Drink or hold.
Other Vintages
2018-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spirits
Wine & -
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Parker
Robert
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine
-
Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Parker
Robert
- Decanter
-
Suckling
James -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
-
Parker
Robert
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
Il Palazzone was founded in the 1980s. The estate has three separate vineyards in three distinct areas of Montalcino. The highest elevation vineyard, Le Due Porte, is located next to the cellar, very close to the town of Montalcino. Two older vineyards are near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. In total we have 5 hectares/ 12 acres under vine, all Sangiovese.
Each vineyard is tended separately and picked, vinified and aged alone. The extraordinary variety of terroir and microclimate result in having three complimentary aspects of Montalcino represented in the final Brunello which is blended across the three vineyards.
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.