2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Light ruby. Farmyardy 'true' Sangiovese nose. Sweet and a little simple at this stage but good balance and structure. Should get there. (JR)

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino wraps across the palate with layers of sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice and spices. Soft and sensual, the 2007 impresses for its impeccable balance and long, suave finish. The 2007 kept improving over the time I followed it. This is a vintage built on silky elegance and expressive fleshiness in the fruit, but those elements need time to emerge fully. There is an inner resonance to the 2007 I find very appealing.

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino wraps across the palate with layers of sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice and spices. Soft and sensual, the 2007 impresses for its impeccable balance and long, suave finish. The 2007 kept improving over the time I followed it. This is a vintage built on silky elegance and expressive fleshiness in the fruit, but those elements need time to emerge fully. There is an inner resonance to the 2007 I find very appealing. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Despite all of his success, Giancarlo Pacenti is not the type of person to rest on his laurels. Today Pacenti is creating the final blend for his main Brunello far earlier than in the past, an important change Pacenti believes will allow his wine to age more harmoniously both in barrel and then in bottle. It will be interesting to see how this development plays out, as there are at least two approaches on creating blends. A second school of thought believes in aging component wines separately, which allows for more control over the final blend in the event some lots over/underachieve relative to initial expectations. I also noted better integration of oak than in previous vintages. Pacenti is more careful with the washing and seasoning of his new barrels than in the past, and the percentage of new oak for the top Brunelli is now around 60-80%. The Pacenti range consisted of just one Brunello for many years. Today there are three Brunelli: the entry-level Pelagrilli (from young vines of 25-35 years of age near the winery), the single-vineyard PS (from an old-vine plot near the winery) and the straight Brunello (from 35+ year-old vines that brings together fruit from Pacenti’s holdings in both the north and south of Montalcino). Importers: Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Classic Wines Imports, Norwook, MA; tel. (781) 352-1100, Golden State Wine Co., Van Nuys, CA; tel. (818) 908-9509, Casa Bruno, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429