2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante
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Tasting notes
Current vintage. Lustrous, youthful and just mid ruby. Stunning minerality with hints of wet stones and slowly opening up with a suggestion of cinnamon bark, but almost like an afterthought. A perfectly composed palate (there is no other word) with balance that is out of this world. Crystal-clear red fruit with a fine tannic structure. (WS)
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigneti Del Versante is also a jeweled ruby color and is aromatic of kirsch, fresh flowers, sweet herbs, and toasted rosemary. It's full-bodied on the palate, with a compact and concentrated feel, well-defined tannins, and an extraordinarily long finish. As it opens, it continuously evolves in the glass, with pristine notes of licorice shining through, and becomes even more focused and pristine over time. In my book, this wine flirts with perfection and is more than deserving of top marks. Drink over the coming 2-3 decades. Situated next to the historic Biondi Santi, Jan Hendrik Erbach and his wife Caroline have been consistently raising the bar and making some of the most exceptional wines of the region. As noted at the beginning of the report, the wines are held back an additional year or more, depending on when Jan feels the wines are ready to be released. They work biodynamically in the vineyard and make adjustments with regard to production, only permitting what they feel is the best expression of their property to go into the final wines. Each of the wines for this report were tasted at the estate in Montalcino.
Slightly more closed or hesitant on first nose, the Pian dell'Orino 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante does show strong shoulders and medium-plus fruit concentration. This is a production of 6,302 bottles plus larger formats. This wine needs more time in bottle to properly flesh out, but you already get a clear view of its bright fruit, herbal notes and blue flower. It presents very elegant, broad-brushed aromas that are characteristic of this warm vintage.
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti di Versante is youthfully coy with a whiff of reduction that slowly blows off to reveal dusty florals, enriching brown spice, hints of underbrush and dried strawberry. Silky-smooth with incredible depth, this soothes with its elegant textures and ripe red and blue fruits, energized by vibrant acidity. Sweet tannins steadily build toward the violet-tinged finale. Orange and spice hints linger as this finishes with a regal structure and incredible length, with a trace of hard candies that slowly fade. The 2019 is pure class. Wow. Of note, this will not be released until the spring of 2025.