“Some of the younger – and cheaper – Brunellos already rival some of the pricier, more venerable wines at least for sheer drinking pleasure,” writes Smart.
Alex Bianchini and Victor Smart (r-l), Café Murano, London, February 9, 2023
Brunello di Montalcino is a wine that I fell for from my first taste. Some reds are powerful, others have finesse and elegance. Brunello has both. It’s understandably one of Italy’s most internationally celebrated wines, prized especially in the US – and prices are high.
Although the first vintage of Brunello was more than a century ago, the global prestige has only come in the last forty years. Unlike Super Tuscans which stray into non-indigenous varieties,Brunello is always made from 100 per cent Sangiovese, Italy’s most widely planted varietal by some margin. A rigorous DOCG law requires several years of cask ageing and the 2018 is now ready for a tasting courtesy of one of the top producers, Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona.
Where better to try out the new Brunello than Café Murano in St James’s, where Angela Hartnett pays homage to classic Italian cuisine. The lunchtime atmosphere is laid-back, but the food is serious. The pasta course is agnolotti with braised rabbit and we have not one but two other meat dishes to follow: risotto ossobuco and then ox cheek with parmesan polenta. Substantial fare befitting substantial wines.
Just a light lunch then!
Ciacci is a family business and we are hosted by Alex Bianchini, grandson of the estate manager who inherited the Tuscan property in 1985 on the death of the childless Countess Elda Ciacci. Located in the south east of the Montalcino region close to medieval village of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, the estate can trace its roots back to the 17th century.
The firm has a total holding of 220 hectares producing both the Brunello and the cheaper Rosso di Montalcino, the latter with its own DOC since 1983 escaping the strict ageing requirement of its sibling, but still 100 per cent Sangiovese.
Many wine bosses today are keen to boast of their innovation. Bianchini seems the opposite – he’s keen to emphasise that Ciacci is all about tradition. For example, he takes pains to explain some producers are now using barriques but that his winery sticks with the large traditional barrels which they get made with oak from Croatia.
Let the tasting begin…
In spite of this, it is evident as soon as we taste the first wine, the Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2020, that there have been improvements. The Rosso does not have a lot of depth but this is a friendly and approachable wine, a delight with gentle tannins and a good finish. Supple and youthful.
Similarly, with the newly released Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018. Unlike many years so far this century, this vintage year was pretty rainy. The wine displays the characteristic flavours of blackberry and black cherry. There are elegant and forceful aromas and a bright acidity. Above all it epitomises the warmth and softness on the palate with soft tannins that makes this wine so inviting. There’s also the structure for midterm ageing potential. And, of course, the high acidity makes for a perfect pairing with those meaty ox dishes.
As we move on to the dessert of Tiramisu it’s already becoming late afternoon, although the clientele at Café Murano show little sign of stirring. We’re treated to a much older Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 2008 in jeroboam. Described by Bianchini as being in “perfect condition”, this has a wonderful garnet colour and comes across as far more distinguished than the upstart 2018. There is depth and complexity. Even so, some of my fellow tasters comment that the younger wines are less oaked and, well, simply more drinkable at this early stage (which is the order in which they should be drunk). Clearly, Ciacci has been hard at work on improvements in vineyard management and cellar practices. So the good news is that some of the younger – and cheaper – Brunellos already rival some of the pricier, more venerable wines at least for sheer drinking pleasure.
The wines of Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona are imported and distributed in the UK by Mentzendorff which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here.
