Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Dark flavors of plum and blackberry give this red a modern feel. Spice and tobacco notes chime in. Polished, ending with serious grip. Best from 2020 through 2032.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I am impressed by the La Fiorita 2012 Brunello di Montalcino, although my impression is that this wine will be best enjoyed within the next five to ten years when the primary fruit is still intact. I say that because the primary fruit is indeed impressive with luscious, dark and succulent characteristics. This Brunello opens to a very dark color and rich concentration. The aromas burst from the glass with happy intensity. The mouthfeel is layered and rich in a similar manner. The wine surrenders easily to those who want to enjoy it immediately.
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Wine Enthusiast
Plum, espresso, French oak and a balsamic note herb emerge on this full-bodied red. On the chewy palate, notes of vanilla and licorice accent a core of mature black cherry alongside the warmth of evident alcohol. Firm close-grained tannins leave a grippy finish.
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.