2005 Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino
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Tasting notes
Cerbaiona's 2005 Brunello di Montalcino has turned out beautifully. The freshness of the year comes through in the wine's bright, spiky acidity and slightly angular contours. Sweet dark cherries, tobacco, cedar and dried flowers are all laced together in a fresh, vibrant Brunello that will drink well for another 10-15 years, perhaps longer. The 2005 is lithe, polished and exceptionally beautiful, even if it doesn't have the layered explosiveness of the very best vintages.
Critic scores
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2005 Brunello di Montalcino impresses for is elegance, balance and class. Silky, finessed tannins frame dark cherries, flowers, minerals, menthol, tobacco and spices. The 2005 doesn't have the kaleidoscopic multi-dimensional personality of the finest Brunellos here, but it does offer outstanding length and plenty of style, albeit in a smaller-scaled, lithe expression of this site. Ideally, readers should open this bottle several hours prior to serving. It is a wonderful effort in this vintage.
The 2005 Brunello di Montalcino impresses for its elegance, balance and class. Silky, finessed tannins frame dark cherries, flowers, minerals, menthol, tobacco and spices. The 2005 doesn’t have the kaleidoscopic, multi-dimensional personality of the finest Brunellos here, but it reveals outstanding length and plenty of style, albeit in a smaller-scaled, lithe expression of this site. Ideally, readers should open the wine several hours prior to serving. It is a wonderful effort in this vintage. 2010-2020. If I had to put together a short list of the most privileged spots in Montalcino for Sangiovese, Cerbaiona would be near or at the top of that list. These white, poor soils encourage the vines to develop deep root systems and yield wines of notable structure. In top vintages the wines are nothing short of spectacular. Production remains tiny, at around 7,000 bottles for the Brunello, which I was reminded of as I negotiated the cramped cellars while tasting through a number of wines with proprietor Diego Molinari. Of the vintages in cask, so far 2006 looks to be the most promising. Readers in search of the finest artisan wines in Tuscany will find much to admire here. Importers: Vias Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 629-0200; The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484
Compact, savoury, crushed herbs. Vibrant fruit, long fluid lines, effortlessly lovely. (TC)
About the producer
A cult address for many Italian fine wine lovers, Cerbaiona is one of Montalcino’s top estates. The site has long been identified as special, but it was Diego Molinari who established its reputation. Today, Matthew Fioretti is at the helm, bringing the estate into the modern era.