Winemaker Notes
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2006 is recommended with red meat,roasts, every kind of game, stew, mature cheeses and all those dishes which have great sapidity.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Gripping in its tannic structure, this red is nonetheless centered on a core of sweet cherry, floral, mint and tobacco flavors. Shows a grace and fluidity, coursing through the finish with finesse and harmony. Ends with a fine mineral aftertaste. A picture of refinement and purity. Best from 2016 through 2038.
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Wine Enthusiast
This beautiful Brunello opens with lavish tones of dark fruit, exotic spice, espresso bean and crushed black pepper. The mouthfeel is interesting because it starts off bold and rich, but ends with the focused or chiseled sharpness that is typical of Sangiovese Grosso.
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James Suckling
Intense aromas of dried strawberries and spices, with hints of dried flowers. Full body, with velvety tannins and a caressing finish. Bright acidity.
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.