Montalcino’s Brunello: A Taste of Tuscan Perfection

Perhaps sheep, goats and a cowbell-clad donkey don’t greet everyone heading down the dirt and gravel road to La Magia vineyard in Montalcino, but they should. Even as a particular long-horned goat unflinchingly stared into our car, my four wine-loving friends and I had to chuckle at the setting’s perfection: a Tuscan sun illuminating the verdant pastures and vineyards, a charming cowbell clinking in concert with the leaves that gently swished in the breeze, the smell of lavender and herbaceous air – how could fabulous wine NOT be produced in this environment?

And sure enough, as we made our way to the unassuming vineyard known as Fattoria La Magia, we were soon to learn just how great that wine could be. Winemaker and owner Fabian Schwarz greeted us and casually took us to a hillside overlooking his grapes with a breathtaking view that also included a distant Benedictine St. Antimo abbey that Charlemagne built so many centuries ago. While it is far from being the biggest vineyard in the world (approximately 52 hectares of which you can see all of it from this one vantage point), here is a winery that has flourished, exporting its wine around the world.

“Do you ever get sick of this view,” I said while transfixed by the gentle vineyards with the abbey beyond and a backdrop of the majestic Apennine Mountains.

Fabian chuckled and said, “No, but sometimes they look even better after I have been away traveling.”

The Brunello everybody loves

Most wine experts will say that Brunello is Tuscany’s greatest wine varietal; others say it is the best in all of Italy. Roughly translated as “nice dark one,” this is a red wine lover’s dream with its smooth tannins and robust dark fruit and leather flavors. Brunello di Montalcino was awarded with the first DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) in 1980, which means it can only be grown and produced in Montalcino, that everything used to make the wine must also come from Montalcino and that it can only be made from 100 percent Brunello grapes, which are a perfected clone of the Sangiovese grape that dates back to the mid-19^th century. Fabian explained that Brunello must age at least two years in oak barrels and a minimum of four years overall as part of the DOCG rules. Riserva Brunello ages at least two and a half years in oak barrels and five years overall.

Like many of the local winemakers, Fabian and his wife offer tastings and tours by appointment, and depending on what you taste and whether you would like some charcuterie alongside your wines, the price ranges between 10 and 18 Euro ($14-25 US).  The tour starts in the vineyard, goes through the cellars and finishes outside under a shady tree, where the family dog is quick to nestle herself comfortably under the tables as well.

It’s this kind of environment that allows one to learn about the challenges a winemaker has and see the parts of winemaking that drive his passion. My friend’s simple question about Fabian’s wine label revealed that when he was just four years old, an artist had come to visit his father to design that year’s label for the Riserva wine. However, on that occasion the four-year-old created art that proved to be longer-lived, still adorning all of La Magia’s wine bottles rather than just one vintage like the work from the more experienced artist.

A satisfying tasting

So, La Magia, like most of the wineries in Montalcino has found the benefits of location and have clearly specialized in Brunello. Like most winemakers in this area, Fabian specializes with the three wines of Montalcino: Rosso, Brunello and Brunello Riserva. While winemakers save their best quality grapes for Riserva and lesser quality grapes for Rosso, a lot of the rules can change depending on a good or bad vintage. Many reviewers will note that in bad vintage years, these wines can prove to be exceptional values. As winemakers downgrade their best grapes, the Rosso’s quality improves. Asking Fabian about which years were good years for Rosso and good years for Riserva proved mind numbing. Compounding the confusing list of vintages was the fact that as we tasted his three wines, they all had impressive aroma, taste and color, despite ranging in price from 12 to 45 Euros/bottle.

Bad quality Rosso?  Not from this place was the conclusion we drew. Yes, the Rosso lacked some of that depth and tannins in which the Brunello and Riserva bathed your tongue, but it definitely held its own as a hearty, earthy, robust red wine. We bought two bottles of each wine for the rest of our Tuscan vacation. However, we couldn’t resist opening them in threesomes to continue comparing and contrasting.

My husband likes to say that the best wines are always best because of context – you’re having a good time, surrounded by friends or family, or the setting is just perfect. Well, for six traveling friends in Tuscany, we decided La Magia has some damn fine context.

– Ivy F. Kupec

 

O’ Holy Wines

There is an undeniable link between wine (aka Nectar of the Gods) and religion. People drink it at communion. Monks often make it. And it plays a leading role in some of the most sacred ceremonies. Of course, some religions and zealots shun the stuff for holier beverages, but even in those instances they too have connected wine to religion although in not such a positive light. With wine’s obvious origin in the earth and how winemakers work with grapes like sculptors and painters who turn clay and blank canvases into art, wine provides a spiritual connection that provides for a natural communion as we share it with family, friends and new acquaintances.

Whether it’s the brilliant gold of a Chardonnay, the coppery shimmer of a Provencal rosé, the regal crimson of an earthy Syrah or the bubbly and inherent joy of any sparkling wine, a good glass of wine is one of the most sensual experiences, awakening an appreciation for God and mankind’s good works. So, as we approach the Christmas season, what better way to note that relationship than by highlighting three wines that have a very obvious churchy connection.  When you learn the names all together, it may conjure the start of some sort of familiar joke…“a priest and three saints meet God at a bar…”but instead you will find that experiencing these oenophilic dreams are just three more reasons to say, “Thank God for wine.”

The Priest: Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California

Made from the oldest and boldest parts Oriental and Nightingale vineyards, this wine feels very pure of heart. Winemakers age the wine for 24 months in new and neutral French oak barrels to lend a wonderful earthiness to the wine and make its pairing with your favorite roast beast a perfect marriage. Named for the original Priest family landowners who settled on this land in 1849, this hillside Cab has gorgeous aromatics of black cherry, raspberry, vanilla and cedar that are rustic and classic. A glorious quaff for your holiday table. $39.99/bottle.

The 3 Saints: Three Saints Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley, California

Here is a Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 18 percent Cabernet Franc and 2 percent Merlot to produce an unbridled, full-bodied, fruit-forward wine.  Silky tannins, dark berries, vanilla and an earthy spiciness are a treat to the palate.  This wine has a long, smooth finish that marries well with wild game or even those meals more piquant in nature.  In its humble way, Three Saints provides a wine that is balanced and murmuring elegance, class and sophistication. $24.99/bottle.

The Creator: K Vintners (Charles Smith) The Creator, Walla Walla, Washington State

Big, like the ultimate “Creator” himself, this wine is about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Syrah, producing an inky purple sensory monster.  Wine Spectator, which rated it a 91, describes it as “dark and chewy…dense with blackberry, currant and tar flavors, glowing and pulsing against a layer of smoky tannins. Shows a lot of life.” It’s hard not to discuss this wine without mentioning its label and name.  The outrageous Charles Smith deigns to transform his caricature into a god-like figure, suggesting that this wine is perhaps the wine of all wines.  Ironically, judging from the buzz it has created, this wine now has many devoted disciples.  Enjoy with your favorite red meat of the season. $62.99/bottle.

 

Benvenuto! Stories from Small Vineyards in Italy

My recent trip to Italy was largely restricted to Roma, which is located in the region of Lazio. The professor shepherding my small group of students suggested we taste mostly Lazio wines, preaching that the difference between a tourist and a traveler is an interest in what their immediate surroundings offer. Tourists would insist on only trying wines from the regions their guide book declared to be the best, while true travelers would immerse themselves in the wines from Lazio, suppressing the urge to drink strictly those from Toscana and Piemonte. Tourist is a detestable name anywhere, and so to avoid being labeled one I stuck with Lazio. They tasted fantastic to my young palate, but nothing like the portfolio Small Vineyards presented yesterday. Read more

 

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