MW Trip to Tuscany - the Institute of Masters of Wine

MW Trip to Tuscany
12th-15th May 2014
Trip Report
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Contents
Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino (Day 1) - John Downes MW
p.3
Villa Poggio Salvi - Mark Bingley MW
p.4
Val di Suga - Dee Blackstock MW
p.6
Campogiovanni - Steve Charters MW
p.8
Casanova di Neri - Neil Hadley MW
p.9
Col D’Orcia - Susan Hulme MW
p.10
San Polo - Linda Jotham MW
p.12
Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino (Day 2) - Doug Frost MW
p.14
Camigliano - Antony Moss MW
p.17
Caparzo - Jonathan Pedley MW
p.17
Bottega - Arne Ronold MW
p.20
La Gerla - Mark de Vere MW
p.20
Banfi - Rob Geddes MW
p.23
Ornellaia - Richard Kershaw MW
p.23
Argentiera - Paul Liversedge MW
p.26
Ca’marcanda - Peter Marks MW
p.27
Guado al Tasso - Phil Tuck MW
p.32
Tasting of Bolgheri Superiore 2013 - Igor Ryjenkov MW
p.33
Tenuta San Guido - Cathy Van Zyl MW
p.35
Master of Wine Biographies
p.37
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Monday May 12th
Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino. Welcome by Fabrizio Bindocci and wine
tasting and presentation from 6 producers - John Downes MW
We arrived the weary night before but a sun-filled Monday morning saw a chirpy group of M.W.’s on
the terrace of the Consorzio overlooking the town square in Montalcino.
We were soon sat around a large table in the conference room braced for the inevitable power point
presentation. That said, the presentation hit the spot and gave us a good overview of the region before
jumping into our minibuses.
The attractive hilltop town of Montalcino is 100 kilometres south of Florence and 540 metres above
sea level. My illusion that these illustrious vineyards rolled down the town’s spectacular hillside slopes
and then spilled over into a limited sweep across the adjacent hills was destroyed when the map
appeared on the wall showing a region that stretched over an area of 40 kilometres by 40 kilometres!
So much for my small, classic Italian region.
This extensive, Mediterranean-influenced area is divided into four sub regions that are known simply
as ‘north-east’, ‘south-east’, ‘north-west’ and ‘south-west’. Not very romantic but hellish effective.
In general terms, the presentation explained that the “north-east having less sun, gave more acidity,
less structure and less colour; the south-west enjoyed good sun, light and higher temperatures
resulting in good structure, colour and lower acidity, for younger drinking; the north-west enjoyed
good sunlight to produce ‘structure similar to the south-west’. The south-east, stylistically and
climatically sits in the middle of the north-east and south-east”. Not surprisingly, each producer
extolled the virtues of their particular compass-located vineyard zone which, again not surprisingly,
lead to contradictions. Add altitude, varying soil types and aspect into the equation and an interesting
discussion was never too far away.
The total area of vineyard covers approximately 3500 hectares, 2100 ha. being Brunello di Montalcino
D.O.C.G. with Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C. accounting for a further 510 hectares. For the record, the
Moscadello D.O.C. and Saint Antino D.O.C. vineyards cover 50 and 480 hectares respectively. The
region gained D.O.C. status in 1966 and D.O.C.G. status in 1980.
Asked if the region needed a Classification System, and in particular a Classico vineyard, “it is not
needed as the selection of the best terroirs has already been made. Two-thirds of the best vineyards
are used only for Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.“, one winemaker told us. “It would be difficult to do
a classification now as politics would also play a part”, another added.
The ‘Production of Montalicino Wines’ slide hit the wall and prompted furious scribbling; the grape
variety must be hand picked 100% Sangiovese (or Brunello as the locals call it), and must be grown in
the designated Montalcino region with a maximum yield of 8 tonnes per hectare. So far so good. Then
came the bit that prompted my first question. To gain the title Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. the
wine must spend a minimum of 2 years in oak casks. The casks are not controlled by age or size under
the regulations but what happens if the vintage can’t handle two years in cask?
We were told that these wines could be declassified to ‘Rosso D.O.C.’ but, I wondered, what would the
accountants and the Bank Manager have to say about that?
The producers stuck to their guns and their laws but over the two days I found wines that would have
benefitted from less oak ageing but hey, what do I know? On top of the oak regime, ‘Brunello
D.O.C.G.’ must also be aged in the bottle for a minimum of 4 months.
To complete the picture Brunello must be bottled in the region, have an minimum alcohol content of
12.5% by volume, minimum acidity of 5 grams per litre and a minimum dry extract of 24 g/l.
The ‘next notch down’ from Brunello D.O.C.G., (but still with a hefty price tag) Rosso di Montalcino
D.O.C. wines must be 100% Sangiovese with a maximum yield of 9 tonnes per hectare, minimum 12%
alcohol by volume, 5 g/l acidity and can be available for sale on the 1st September the year following
the vintage. Having no oak ageing regulations gives the winemaker more freedom; my later tasting
notes revealed wines that were open, fruity and more vibrant than some Brunello’s that struggled to
handle the compulsory two year oak regime.
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The Moscadello di Montalcino D.O.C. wines were well received during our trip, especially at the
generous lunches and dinners, as were the Saint Antimo D.O.C. wines, the latter being mainly
Sangiovese but with the allowed addition of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. White
Saint Antimo introduced Chardonnay into the mix.
The region’s production is 9 million bottles for Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G., 4.5 million for Rosso
di Montalcino D.O.C., 80,000 for Moscadello di Montalcino D.O.C. and 400,000 for Saint Antimo
D.O.C. It’s interesting to note that 50 years ago the vineyard area was only 20 per cent of today’s area,
“the 80’s saw enormous growth in Brunello”, one producer noted. Today’s Montalcino exudes a
powerful air of success.
We walked back onto the terrace into the spring sunshine packed with knowledge and ready for our
two day foray into one of Italy’s most famous regions. Three minibuses were lined up to take us away
but …. were left waiting as we grabbed a welcome coffee in the small café across the sunlit gardened
square. One euro for a cracking espresso – London please note!
Villa Poggio Salvi - Mark Bingley MW
Luca Belingardi gave us a charming welcome, and was a most generous host opening 3 excellent
vintages of his Brunello for us to taste with a delicious lunch.
Oenologist Luca Belingardi,
grandson of Pierluigi Tagliabue who
bought the estate in 1979.
He stands in his maturation cellar
beside a barrel carved with the head
of Pomona, the Roman Goddess of
fruitful abundance – symbol of the
estate.
Origins: Poggio Salvi ‘the hill of health’ may have been a place of refuge from the city of Montalcino or
a hospital. In the 16th century the estate was already renowned for its wines. Today the estate is owned
by the family of Pierluigi Tagliabue and managed by his grandson Luca Belingardi.
Consultant: Vittorio Fiore
The estate’s vineyards extend over 40 hectares, 5 km west of Montalcino on south-east, south and
south-west facing slopes at 350-450 m altitude. Soils are galestro and marl.
19.5 ha. Brunello / 0.5 ha. Moscadello / 20 ha. other grapes for IGT
Brunello production: 45,000 btls Brunello / 30,000 btls Rosso di Montalcino / 3,000 btls Moscadello
The family also own a 20 hectare Chianti estate in Monteriggioni. The wine is called Caspagnolo.
Winemaking:
Separate plots within vineyard identified and vinified separately
Fermentation in 160 hl stainless steel tanks, temperature-controlled
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8-10 days pre-fermentation maceration, 10-12 days fermentation then allowed to settle for a couple of
days, no post-fermentation maceration before racking off skins.
Punching down with 4 plunger set, very gentle auto control timing 4 times per day for 20-25 mins,
plus 2 x pumping over and sometimes 1 x delestage.
Pneumatic press – press wine used in IGT
Malo in tanks and left in tanks through winter and spring before moving to barrels in May
Barrels: made by Garbellotto 60-100 hl botti of slavonian oak and a few chestnut (no barriques used
for Brunello) up to 30 years old. Inside of barrels scraped every 7 years to get back to clean wood in
order to release oak flavour and allow some air penetration.
Cost of each new barrel approx. €18,000.
Maturation: in botti without racking (unless off flavours developing): Rosso 1 year / Brunello 2½
years / Brunello Riserva 3½ years
Pre-Bottling assemblage in stainless steel tanks. No fining. Very light filtration before bottling.
Barrel samples tasting:
2012 Brunello from a newly scraped oak botte, showing hint of oak with crisp fruit flavour and fine
tannic structure
2011 Brunello (2 years in oak botte), supple tannins with very attractive balance and well integrated
structure
2011 Brunello (2 years in chestnut botte) a different plot. More developed complex fruit aromas,
palate sweeter toned and charming.
Wines tasted with lunch:
2011 Rosso di Montalcino, full-bodied with attractive ripe fruit
2010 Brunello di Montalcino (tank sample pre bottling), big intense wine with concentrated dark
fruits and serious structure for long term aging.
2009 Brunello di Montalcino, 2009 was a hot year, the wine is already opening on the nose, the palate
showing charm and supple tannins. A great success in difficult conditions.
2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, this wine comes from a specific plot of 25 year old vines in very
stony ground. Complex fruit aroma with hint of herbs. Big structure without losing refinement.
Excellent fruit, balance and length.
1995 Brunello di Montalcino, aged to tawny colour on rim, deep dark mature fruit and smoky aromas.
Tannins have melted into creamy texture, long with almost luscious tone and still has freshness on
finish.
2007 Moscadello, late-picked without botrytis, harvested in late October.
residual sugar Aged 2½ years in barriques
13.5alc 82gr
Golden yellow colour, evolved floral and apricot aroma. Creamy mellow old golden fruit flavours with
barrel aged style.
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Val di Suga - Dee Blackstock MW
After a comprehensive and useful introduction to the wine region of Montalcino followed by a tasting
of around twenty local wines at the Consorzio’s offices, we were well set up for our first winery visit of
the trip. The short drive took us along winding hilly roads lined with wild flowers through the
stunning cypress-studded Tuscan countryside.
At Val di Suga’s attractive modern winery/office building, surrounded by roses in bloom, overlooking
a small lake, we were met by various members of the team. David, their technical director, (only two
months into the post from his previous position with Antinori in Maremma) then took us through a
presentation and tasting.
Val di Suga is part of the Bertani Domaines and was purchased in 1994 by the Tenimenti Angelini
company. Bertani‘s other properties comprise; Tre Rose in Montepulciano; San Leonino, Castellini in
Chianti; Collepaglia in Jesi and Puiatti, Collio Isonzo.
Mission Statement:
David explained that Val di Suga’s managers were young, dynamic and had international
backgrounds, and were headed up by Emilio Pedroni, previously manager of Bertani. They aim to
create the most international new wine project in Italy in the last decade. The ambition is to produce
innovative yet traditional wines which reflect the individual Italian grape variety (based on the
burgundian method of expressing the terroir or “cru”). They take a modern approach to both
viticulture and vinification through ongoing research. Each of the young managers have been asked to
come up with a new idea. David has suggested trialling cooler fermentation temperatures to achieve
silkier tannins, as well as introducing delestage (rack and return) for a more approachable style whilst
retaining the wine’s regional characteristics.
Location:
The property covers 120 hectares, over 50 of which are planted with Sangiovese. Their production is
around 315,000 bottles of Brunello DOC (just over 26,000 nine litre cases). Amongst the couple of
hundred producers/bottlers of Brunello di Montalcino, Val di Suga believes that one of its points of
difference comes from their varied vineyard sites. Each of the three individual estates are situated on
different slopes of the Montalcino hill. The original and larger vineyard is on the North-East side
surrounding the winery where we were, and includes the well-known Vigna del Lago planting. To the
South-West, near Sant’Angelo in Colle, the Spuntali vineyard produces their famous Cru, Vigna
Spuntali. The more recently planted of the vineyards, Poggio al Granchio, is on the South-East side
towards Sant’Antimo. David outlined the differences in soils from different geological eras, altitudes,
aspects and microclimates of each location, which influence the structure and character of the wines.
Vigna del Lago (19 hectares) is on the North-East side surrounding the winery and cellar . Altitude
270m: continental climate: cordon spur pruning: clay, pleistocene soils: 160 cm between rows,
canopy at 190 cm:
Vigna Spuntali (14 hectares) is on South-West side near Sant’Angelo in Colle and Grosseto
comprising 5 vineyard plots and is a historical Brunello di Montalcino Cru. Altitude 350 m; 40 km
from the sea: drier Mediterranean climate: cordon spur pruning: pleistocene and sandy (marine
influenced) soil: 220 cm between rows, canopy at 180 cm.
Poggio al Granchio (means Hill of the Freshwater Crab) is on the South-East side towards
Sant’Antimo. This estate has the highest altitude at 400-450 m near Monte Amiate, an extinct
volcano. Sun-kissed and windy microclimate – a mix between continental and Mediterranean
climate: guyot pruning; Galestro soil (marl/flinty stones). 150 cm between rows and canopy at 150 cm:
Many of our questions honed in on the specific differences and the results of their ongoing research.
We were also interested in any recent changes in the local climate as we had noted the majority of the
wines at the Consorzio tasting showed quite high alcohol levels of 14.5% and 15%. As well as general
observations, David often referred to Spuntali, their flagship estate.
He confirmed that the Montalcino climate has warmed up over last 5-10 years. In the North (more of a
continental climate with cold rainy winters) the Tramontagne wind helps minimise the climate
changes, so it is less dramatic (+3 degrees celcius). In the South and near the coast the increase of
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temperature is more marked (in the range of 6-8 degrees) and the winters are not as cold, more like
autumn.
Viticulture:
Val di Suga is practising more precise farming. They have introduced a new canopy management
system and trellising which gives less direct sun to the cluster zone and creates a better micro-climate.
This leads to a higher photosynthetic potential (more young leaves) concentrating the polyphenols
and anthocyannins. They use a DS system (Decision Supported System) using climate models to
reduce the use of chemicals (herbicides and insecticides).
Average yields are 7 tons per hectare depending on the year. Machine-picking is permitted but many
of the slopes are too steep, so hand-picking is common and is all carried out by locals.
Vinification:
Val di Suga want to avoid “globalising” their wines. Their aim is to achieve harmonious tannins and
elegant acidity whilst retaining the fruit and character of Sangiovese from Montalcino. To this end
they changed their approach to tannins 3-4 years’ ago. We were reminded that very few of the wines
were fined, as their long maturation in small vessels renders it unnecessary.
Tasting:
We tasted the 2009 vintage from the three different vineyards, followed by a blend of all three, and
some older vintages. At our request David quoted the suggested local retail price per wine.
2009 Poggio al Granchio Brunello di Montalcino: 15% abv, va 0.37-0.42 : Eur 29
Youthful mid crimson: tangy ripe raspberry/strawberry coulis nose; tangy salty minerality, depth of
fruit with an earthy character, fine dusty tannins, evident alcohol.
2009 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino: Eur 39-43
Harvested at the end of September. Macerated at 5-6 degrees Celsius, then fermented at not more
than 27 degrees, using pumping over and rack and return to emphasise the fruit and minerality. Starts
in 300 litre French oak barrels then into 50-60 hl casks (no new casks were introduced between 1999
and 2011. 50% malolactic in barrel, 50% had the malo blockied. 30 months in oak. 15% alc, pH 3.62,
TA 5.67, VA 0.37-42
Toasty fleshy ripe strawberry fruit nose; elegantly jammy fruit with an open texture, rich, sweetly
ripe fruit , lower acidity, good length, more evident alcohol, sooty tannins.
2009 Vigna del Lago Brunello di Montalcino: 154.5% abv Eur 33-34
Clean ripe juicy cherry and raspberry fruit; elegant cherry and cherry stone fruit character. More
linear, with some chalky minerality and a hint of green notes in the tannins. Juicier less ripeness and
complexity.
2009 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino (blend)(2nd level of fruit) Eur 24
Spicy chunky ripe strawberry jam nose, good progression, with medium ripeness, medium tannins
and just a hint of minerality.
In general the group preferred the individuality of the separate vineyard wines, however perhaps it
was not such a fair contest as the blend seemed to be based on a lower quality level.
David explained that 2010 and 2011 have less alcohol than 2009’s.
There followed tastings of the blended wine from 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2004 vintages. This was an
interesting comparison and a “level playing field”!
2008 was still closed whilst 2007 was rather developed. Our firm favourite was the 2006 which was
showing lovely smoky tea and leather aromas whilst retaining a fresh elegant ripe fruit character with
good length and a silky tannic finish. 2004 had a spicy developed nose with rather rustic tannins. It
seems that their new tannin regime is proving successful.
Before we began the tour of the beautiful modern winery, the group remarked on the fact that the
vintage was not displayed on some of the front labels (only on the back label) which we were told was
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due in part to financial considerations, and in part as they did not believe consumers were that
interested. We begged to differ, explaining that in our opinion a wine of the calibre of Brunello di
Montalcino needed to show the vintage on the front label following the example of French quality
wines in order to emphasise their quality image, as well as helping educate consumers that wine
naturally reflects the conditions of the individual year.
Winery tour:
David kept up a commentary and answered our questions as we went.
Harvest is usually between mid-September to mid-October and the grapes go straight into stainless
steel tanks to ferment, followed by pumping-over.
Ageing takes place in 5 rooms containing oak casks of varying volumes. Wood is Slovanian (not
Slovenian) bought between 2000-2006, made by Gamba and Gardolotto. Capacities range between 46
, 48.5l, 52 and 60 hl. They are cleaned with hot water and burning sulphur candles. In the summer
air conditioning keeps temperatures at 16-19 0 Celsius. Humidity is maintained at 70%.
Generally 1000 litre botti are preferred but Spuntali suits smaller barrels. Barriques (225 litres) are
used only for Spuntali (supplied by Taransaud and Francois Freres). Bottles are stored on pre-formed
plastic trays. Corks from Molinas Nureddu, Amorim and Belbo; DIAM is permitted for IGT wines but
not DOC Brunello di Montalcino. A new barrique area contained 1200 larger barrels (300 litres) using
oak from Allier, Troncais, Cher, Gamba and Fontainebleu forests supplied by Seguin Moreau, Berger
et Fils, Francois Freres and Taransaud.
During a delicious, copious and lengthy lunch (including two pasta dishes!) in a pretty covered
courtyard we enjoyed the following wines from their other estates:
2010 San Leonino Chianti Classico Riserva Monsenese
2010 Tre Rose Santa Caterina Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
2009 Tre Rose Simposio single vineyard Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
A vertical tasting of 3 vintages of Spuntali - 2009, 2012 and 2013 – followed, and, as a final flourish,
their Vin Santo 2006.
It was a very educational and enjoyable visit and we thanked our hosts profusely.
The stamina of the Masters of Wine was called upon as our short bus trip back to our hotel gave us a
turnaround of around 10 minutes before we headed back out again for our evening visit and dinner!
Campogiovanni - Steve Charters MW
Like many estates in Brunello di Montalcino, Campogiovanni was established by an external company
seeking to engage with the quality of the region when is was emerging as a major wine producing area.
In this case the company was San Felice, based in Chianti Classico, who set up this satellite in the
1980s. They now have 20 hectares, 14 of which are dedicated to Brunello; the others are for Rosso di
Montalcino and St Antimo.
Leonardo Bellacini, the oenologist who hosted us, explained their approach to production. The have
three soil types (Galestro, a light sandy clay and an old, predominantly clay, vineyard) with sites
predominantly facing south-west. It is all dry farming, with no irrigation used even in years where it
is permitted by special dispensation. Unlike many of their neighbours they are not biodynamic;
Leonardo accepts that 70% of biodynamics is good vineyard practice, but the rest is ‘unreliable’. As
they have 80 families dependant on the San Felice group they can’t let them down, and it’s not his
money that would be risked by being biodynamic.
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The grapes are picked on sugar ripeness as the main criterion. Fermentation can be very drawn out;
there was some 2011 red wine still finishing fermentation, we were told – with an alcohol level of
17.3% ND 10 g/l residual sugar still remaining. Campogiovanni has a strict quality control regime.
For instance, in 2012 only about 30% of their potential DOCG Brunello will be marketed as such; the
rest will be declassified because the vintage was so poor.
The wine is aged for 30 months in oak; for the Riserva all the barrels are new, for the regular wines a
mix of new and older is used. This was also the first place where I’ve seen Mongolian oak being tested.
It has a very tight grain, and gives delicate, spicy characters to the wine with less evidence of vanilla.
As a general rule I found the wines quite overtly oaky, well matured and worked tannins and intense
fruit characters.
Campogiovanni Rosso di Montalcino 2012
[Twelve-day maceration at 28-30°C, and malolactic fermentation in steel. Maturation for 12 months
in large Slavonian oak botti, followed by a further 2 months in the bottle].Intense plum-currant
aromas. Sweet-fruited attack, comparatively soft tannins and good length.
Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino 2009
[Blended from holdings across the region. Twenty-day maceration at 28-30°C, and malolactic
fermentation in steel. Maturation for 36 months in large Slavonian oak botti, followed by a further 12
months in the bottle.]
Stewed black fruit on the nose. Rich, with evident new oak. Firm but quite smooth tannins,
reasonable length but the alcohol (15.5%) a bit too warm for me.
Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ‘Il Quercione’ 2007
[A single vineyard wine. Twenty-five days maceration at 30°, followed by a 24-month maturation in
500 litre French oak tonneaux and a further 36 months in the bottle.]
Dense red fruit aromas, again evident oak. Very warm and very tannic on the palate but with just
enough acid to keep it focused; intensely fruity, long but alcohol dominates on the finish.
Casanova di Neri - Neil Hadley MW
The Neri family-owned estate of Casanova di Neri was purchased in 1971 on land sitting to the
East/Northeast of Montalcino. Wines were first vintaged under the house name in 1978, and today
63Ha of land across a total estate of 500Ha sits under vines. The dominant soils on this “home”
vineyard at Fiesole consist of a clay/sand mix with rocks interspersed which help with drainage. The
vines sit around 350m above sea level and the vineyard sits on the very edge of the DOCG boundary.
Whilst the family were happy with the wines they were producing, they were also restless, seeking to
add extra dimensions in order to build greater complexity over time in their house style. With this in
mind, they have expanded to a total of seven vineyard sites, most notably locating land in Cerretalto in
the East of the Montalcino region. Planted on red soils with quite unique river stones and black rock
interspersed, these vigorous soils countermanded the overall cool, late ripening (end October)
conditions, enabling a crop of distinction and quality to be ripened most years, provided yield levels
are kept low. In a further step towards their goal of developing wines of individuality and character,
the family searched for and found the Tenuta Nuova site in the far South of the region, where rocky
soils of very low water holding capacity produce low, intensely flavoured crops. (These landholding
expansions were mostly conducted in the early 1980’s when DOCG laws were still relatively open and
new vineyard blocks could relatively easily be established. Today, these sites would find in near
impossible to be granted DOCG status for the same vineyard development.)
With a strong vineyard base for wine differentiation and good, small berry/open cluster clonal stock
originating from the Cerretalto vineyard, the family is able to develop and emphasise quality and to
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focus upon origin differentiation upon arrival at the winery – later maintaining the wines as separate
single vineyard expressions, or bringing parcels of them together in the house bottling. All grapes are
sorted and de-stemmed (not crushed) upon arrival and then fed into the relatively new winery, which
was commissioned in 2005. The wines undergo an open ferment in 8 Ton stainless steel fermenters,
relying upon natural winery yeast populations and temperatures are controlled at 25-30 degrees
Celsius. There is no cold soak prior to ferment. The DOCG Brunello di Montalcino wines ferment and
macerate for 18-25 days, with pneumatic plunging of the cap throughout.
The approach to maturation and decisions with regards to final blending and bottling are largely made
by taste, not technical measurement. The aim is to produce wines of low astringency which have
matured in a combination of large vats and up to 10% new oak barriques, with the balance 2 nd and 3rd
use. In all, the wines spend around 30 months in maturation.
I must admit that on the tour of the winery I had a sense of looseness, even chaos, that had several of
us wondering what would be presented in the glass. Casanova di Nero is NOT an ‘uber-smart’,
buttoned down winemaking affair at first glance. However, in the glass itself, our reservations were
quickly dispelled, with many of the wines displaying character, flair and textural harmony that
exceeded expectations and left us of the opinion that here was one of the better producer estates of the
Brunello di Montalcino region.
A vertical tasting of the Cerretalto vineyard DOCG Brunello di Montalcino wines (1997; 1999; 2004;
2006; 2007; 2008) presented stand-out wines in 1997, 2006 and 2008, with all vintages acquitting
themselves well in the glass. A lovely combination of minerality and vinous clarity pervaded especially
the wines from 2006 onwards (2006 was the first vintage following the commissioning of the new
winery facility). We tasted various other single vineyard and multi-vineyard DOCG blends, with the
as-yet unreleased 2010 Tenuta Nuova DOCG Brunello di Montalcino showing especially well, albeit at
such a young age.
Col D’Orcia - Susan Hulme MW
The name ‘Col d'Orcia’ means ‘hill overlooking the Orcia River’, reflecting the geographical position of
the winery’s vineyards. The Orcia River marks the south-west border of the Brunello di Montalcino
region. One of the things which became clear during our brief trip to this region was how very
different the sub-zones are even within a relatively small region, making one Brunello di Montalcino
stylistically very different from another, depending on whether it is grown in the warmer south of the
region, or the cooler north. Within this fairly small region (an hour's drive from one end to the other)
there are so many variations of altitude, aspect, hours of sunshine, temperature and soil types that
there is a difference of three weeks between the harvest date of one sub-zone and another. Col d'Orcia
is a wine from the warmer, southern sub-zone.
In the Orcia valley, fifty percent of the land is covered with natural woodland, the soil is very poor and
the distance between farmhouses is much greater than those in the Florentine Hills for example.
There is very little infrastructure or industry and much of the area is a natural park. All this has
contributed to the area being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.
We were met by our very gracious and rather aristocratic-looking host, Francesco Marone Cinzano,
chairman and owner of Col d'Orcia who took over from his father in 1991.... and yes, he is part of the
famous Cinzano family.
Col d'Orcia is one of the three largest properties in Brunello in terms of area under vine with 140 ha in
total of which 108 ha is planted with Sangiovese. The vineyards range in altitude from 100 to 600
metres above sea level. Some parts of the vineyard here have a Mediterranean influence with very dry
afternoons and low humidity, and other, north-facing slopes having a more continental climate with
high humidity. Francesco declared himself to be a firm believer in getting the best from the individual
zones.
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Col d'Orcia is the third oldest winery in Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and although it was established
as a winery in 1958, wine has been produced from the estate since at least the early 1930’s while the
estate itself dates back to 1890. Not surprisingly then, they have the largest collection of old bottles in
the area. Perhaps also not surprisingly, given their sense of history and long term view of things,
sustainability is very important to them and as a logical consequence, the whole estate, including the
vineyards, olive groves, fields and gardens have been working towards being certified as organic
certification since 2010. This they achieved in 2013 making them the largest organically certified
producer in Tuscany. They have also been involved in several research projects. Their vineyard
manager and agronomist pioneered the use of cover crops in this area and undertook research into
rootstocks in Montalcino. Francesco commented that one secret of their success is that they do a lot of
'selection, selection, selection!'
On this visit we were taken first to the cellar for a brief barrel sampling where we tasted among other
things the 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 Brunello, Francesco noting along the way that the 2013 was a
low yielding vintage with 25% less than usual fruit whereas in 2012 they had had the worst drought
here in recent history. Of the four vintages tasted, my favourite was the 2011 which had an attractive
silkiness and elegance to it with a little more delicate red fruit quality than the others.
Col d'Orcia make two different Brunello, a standard wine and, occasionally, a single vineyard wine, the
name of which evokes its terroir: Poggio al Vento (windy hill or knoll) is a 7 ha single vineyard, 350m
above sea level with a south-southwest exposure and 40 year old vines in an alkaline, limestone soil,
rich in fossils. It was first released in 1982 and is only made in excellent vintages, when about 20,00025,000 bottles are produced.
They are firm believers in Sangiovese and, unlike the other large companies in Brunello, they were
opposed to the consorzio's 2008 and 2011 proposals to allow grapes other than Sangiovese to be used
in Brunello and Rosso wines. As a company, Col d'Orcia have invested in massive research into every
aspect of grape-growing and Sangiovese in particular and in 1988 started a clonal research project into
Sangiovese with Dr Bandinelli, the University of Florence Sangiovese specialist. However, in 1984 Col
d'Orcia was one of the first wineries in Montalcino to plant Cabernet Sauvignon which went into a
varietal 'Super Tuscan' wine called Olmaia. The first 1989 vintage was released in1991 to critical
acclaim. Both Olmaia and the single vineyard Rosso di Montalcino, Banditella are aged in barriques
whereas the Brunellos are aged in large Slavonian and French oak casks.
After the barrel sampling we were given a brief presentation of the estate followed by an extensive
tasting. The tasting consisted of Rosso di Montalcino 2010, followed by five Brunello di Montalcino the 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004 and 2001.
This was followed by Poggio al Vento 2004 and 1990 and we finished by tasting two Brunello di
Montalcino Riservas, the 1979 and the 1965. Many of the wines were a little subdued aromatically as
they had been opened a couple of hours before, but they were firmly textured wines with a sappy, red
fruit character on several of the wines.
We also tasted the Banditella and the Olmaia wines which had the distinctive mocha, coffee and cream
notes of carefully chosen new oak.
In a tasting of such illustrious wines, it is often difficult to choose a favourite but the outstanding wine
of the night for me was the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 1965!
Brick core fades to a tawny rim. Smoky beef stock and tarry notes on the nose suggest a fully mature
and quite evolved wine. On the palate, beautiful silky texture and seamlessly integrated tannins are
balanced by vivid acidity, and a lingering core of sweet fruit and savoury flavours. Fragile and delicate
in its delivery yet powerful and tenacious at the same time. It has a poise and persistence that
exceeded all of my expectations. Drinking beautifully now, 13.5 %.
With grateful thanks to our generous host Francesco Marone Cinzano for an excellent visit and great
hospitality.
11
San Polo - Linda Jotham MW
San Polo, in the south east quadrant of
Montalcino, was created in 2007 by Marilisa
Allegrini and Leonardo lo Cascio, two preexisting estates being joined together to create
one offering a spectacular 360 degree panorama
of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. 16 ha are
planted, 8ha to Brunello. The estate promotes a
focus on sustainability.
Warmly welcomed on arrival by Giulia Gecchele,
Brand Manager for San Polo, and subsequently
by Nicola Biasi, the winemaker and Technical
Director, we were accompanied on a tour of the
vineyards and winery.
Giulia explained that after experimenting with
organic and some principles of biodynamic
viticulture, the estate now aims to be certified
organic within three years, the viability of this
being aided by the 450m-500m altitude of the site
and resulting breezes, minimising disease pressure
and providing a marked diurnal and seasonal
temperature range. Stony galestro soil limits the
natural vigour of sangiovese in some plots whilst
clay in others usefully retains water in the summer
heat.
View form highest point of site
The winery is underground, so minimising both energy use in insulation
and disruption of the site’s natural beauty. Sustainable features of its design
include the remarkable ‘solar chimneys’ which, turning in the wind, create a
vacuum which extracts warm air from the cellar below; the ‘thermic
corridor’ between the cellar and the exposed
hillside and the porous volcanic stone walls
of the cellar, together contributing to an
appropriate level of natural humidity; pipes
in the ceiling of the cellar which circulate
cool water from a natural spring when
cooling is necessary; and the curved slope of
the cellar ceiling ensuring condensation of
risen warm air into central pipes, so enabling
a continual, natural cooling of warm air.
Solar chimneys
Thermic corridor
Air circulation system in cellar
12
Nicola outlined his approach to the winemaking. After destemming and crushing, for Rubio IGT only cold soak
ensues for two days in a stainless steel tank then a fast
fermentation over five to six days - six to seven days for
Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello - at 28-30 . (Cement
tanks are used in preference to stainless steel for musts
destined for Rosso and Brunello, and wooden tanks for
Brunello Riserva, both giving a better post-fermentation
tannin structure for these wines.) The musts are pumped
over twice daily for 12 days except for Riserva musts, which
have one month skin contact with punch downs only. The
wine is then transferred to large oak barrels to complete the
MLF.
Winery interior
Post-fermentation maceration of 10 days for Rosso, 15-20
for Brunello – longer in good vintages – completes the
process. Brunello Riserva is only made in vintages of very
high quality and from a selection of the best fruit from all
plots, vinified separately before blending: since 2000, only
2004 and 2006 have qualified here, the aim being to
maintain high quality for the estate’s standard Brunello.
Only French oak 500l tonneaux - 20% new - are used for ageing, these having 55mm staves rather than
the usual 27mm to ensure a more reductive process, preferred by Nicola for the control it allows.
Tasted from barrel, the San Polo Brunello 2012 showed an opaque core with narrow purple rim and
intense blackberry aromas with oak and spice, the palate giving complex, dense dark fruit and oak
flavours with balancing high extract, acid and tannin to assure extended ageing. (At the earlier Consorzio
tasting, the San Polo Brunello 2009 showed a garnet core with balsamic and cherry aromas introducing a
velvety-textured mid-palate, displaying marked cherry, balsamic and oak flavours with harmonious,
balanced structure.)
Back at the farmhouse, we were treated to champagne and
canapes before a Venetian-inspired menu accompanied by
San Polo Rubio 2012, Rosso di Montalcino 2012, Brunello
2006 and 2008 and Brunello Riserva 2006, followed by
the delicious Allegrini Recioto di Valpolicella 2010 and
Grappa.
Many thanks to our hosts and to Marilisa Allegrini for such
an interesting and memorable visit.
13
Tuesday May 13th
Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino, tasting and presentation with 6 producers Doug Frost MW
As with earlier tastings, we were in the upstairs room of the Consorzio office, and a band of brave and
intrepid producers was pouring wines for us to prod and poke at. I have left out the names of those
quoted, as I don’t have their permission to append their names to this report. Who knows? Maybe it
was the Brunello talking (or the espresso? Or last night’s Peroni?)?
The wines were:
CAPANNA
The wines are grown on the north side towards Siena, in and around Montesoli, with a southsoutheast exposure at 270-300m elevation. The soils are rich in galestro.
Rosso di Montalcino 2012 – like many of the Rossi di Montalcino presented, this was delightful:
bright and floral and just a bit savory. Fermented on the skins for 15-18 days (half of the vats are
Slavonian oak), with malolactic in the same vats. Matured in Slavonian and Alliers 20-30 hectoliter
barrels for 12-15 months. 14.29%, total acidity 5.7%
Brunello di Montalcino 2009 – this was a nearly supple Brunello (a descriptor only rarely applied
here) and not lacking in earth character nonetheless. Fermented with the skins for 20-22 days in
temperature controlled Slavonian oak vessels, then matured in 20-30 hectoliter Slavonian casks.
14.98%, total acidity 5.35%.
Moscadello di Montalcino 2010 Vendemmia Tardiva – 100% Muscat clones from masale selection,
harvested after “natural drying on the plant” for 20-30 days, macerated on the skins at “low
temperatures”, fermented at 15-18 C. The sugar level greatly varies with the year (the alcohol does as
well). Aged in Slavonian oak for 15-18 months. An easy to like, none too rich, but full-bodied sweet
wine with lots of honey, marmalade and lovely white flowers. 14.26%, total acidity 4.87%, 148.07 g/l
residual sugar.
One MW: “I liked the Capanna wines.” I concur.
LA GERLA
Their vineyards are in the Northeast by near Buonconvento supplemented by vineyards in the south
and southeast near Castelnuovo. Altitudes vary from 270m to 320m, all on hillsides. Their grapes are
picked in the south some fifteen days before their vineyards in the north.
Rosso di Montalcino 2012 – This was a rather complex Rosso in comparison to most. 13.5%, total
acidity 5.22 g/l. One year in Slavonian oak.
Brunello di Montalcino 2009 – a very powerful, warm, compact and lingering Brunello. Three years of
aging in Slavonian oak of 50-100 hectoliters. 14.5%, total acidity 6.3 g/l.
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (single vineyard) Gli Angeli 2008 – on the northeast side, in the warm
vintages, this is their best site at around 300m, but in cold vintages, “it’s the worst.” This was very
convincing wine that managed to express balance, almost delicacy, despite its power and solidity. The
wine spent four years in Slavonian 50 hectoliter casks. 14%, total acidity 5.46 g/l.
Several MW’s noted to me that they were very pleased with these wines. The Gli Angeli “was pretty
smart.”
DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI
Donatella (the owner’s name) Cinelli Colombini – most of the vineyards are in the North, with a bit in
the Northwest, which she inherited in 1998; 15 hectares, with the main vineyard at about 325m
elevation, and the new ones higher still. “Riserva wines are coming from the vineyards with more clay
14
because of climatic changes; the vineyards with these soils seem to perform better than in the past. We
are now experiencing longer springs, very hot summers, and no winter except for rain.”
Rosso di Montalcino 2011- rich and plummy flavors, not quite so bright as some of the others but with
a pleasant dose of earthiness too. This hot vintage created a very “early” and “quick” vintage, with a
hot August (both day and night) and a hot September harvest. 14.5%, total acidity 5 g/l.
One MW quote: “the fruit followed the tannins right through to the end. [In contrast] some of the
other wines [here] were quite dry.”
Brunello di Montalcino 2009 – warm with red plums and savory elements. Lingering. 14.5%, total
acidity 5.7g/l.
The 2009 vintage saw only one third of their usual production. The wines that would normally become
the Prime Donne and Riserva bottlings all went into this Brunello normale. In 2009, the winter and
spring were very rainy with a very hot summer (weeks and weeks of 40 C). Thunderstorms with rain
and cold temperatures (down to 10 C) hardened the skins though a warm and sunny harvest period
“softened” the skins. The grapes were picked in early October. The wine spent one year in small to
medium sized oak vessels (5-15 hectoliter) followed by an unspecified period in 30-40 hectoliter
barrels from Slavonia and from the Massif Central.
Brunello di Montalcino Reserva 2008 - lingering cherries, dirt, old wood, a bit warm, powerful, nearly
cooked red cherries, red plums and distinct iron and earth notes at the end.
The 2008 vintage saw a winter with no rainfall, but spring was cold and long, with a lot of violent
weather. Summer was hot, but September rain and cold interrupted the ripening. Things warmed up
and picking occurred in early October. “These Riserva grapes were the last picked from the Ardita
vineyard, planted in 2001 at the highest point of Casato Prime Donne and facing fully south. Very
poor, very clay soils.” The wines were aged in oak for three years, but only tonneau and larger barrels,
never in barrica.
Several MW’s expressed their pleasure with these wines. Of the Riserva, one said, “I think it was good
wine but the use of new overt toasty oak is not typical. It’s technically good, but I thought, what's the
point?”
SILVIO NARDI
Silvio Nardi works from two different single vineyards, 8 hectares each: “We harvest at phenolic
maturity by constantly tasting through the grapes; we start tasting at end of August. The wines spend
18 months in barrel of which 30% are new Allier barrels, and then one year in big Slavonian oak.” The
Manachiara is aged for two years in bottle, while the Poggio Doria is aged for three years in bottle.
“In terms of the harvest, in 2013 we started with Poggio Doria; that was unusual. Usually we start with
Manachiara; in cold vintages it does better. Usually Manachiara is warmer. Just in the best vintages
would we start with Poggio Doria.”
“Poggio Doria is from the west side of the northern Montalcino area, with southwest and northwest
exposure, created in 1997, at an elevation of about 260m; the soil changes a lot more throughout the
vineyard areas, with sand, jasper and clay.”
Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Poggio Doria 2006 - There was plenty of barrel character on the nose:
vanilla, even a chocolate note, but this wine is not all wood. The Poggio Dora was powerful, compact,
cherry, iron, but as tannic as nutshells, with cherry, plum and roasted raspberries, 14%, total acidity
5.5 g/l.
Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara 2007 - warm, chocolate, impressive if seeming slightly
over oaked. So it's interesting that phenolics are so important to the harvest timing; moreover, that
the grapes were completely de-stemmed. 14%, total acidity 5.5 g/l.
The Manachiara vineyard is a bit higher than 300m, “more quartz, with some Pliocene skeletons and
clay,” and with a southwest exposure. The 2007 was harvested in the first part of October.
15
I was frustrated by what I saw as a great deal of work expended to create fruit that had elegance, and
then subsumed in barrel intensity. One MW: “I tasted the Nardi and thought, @!%#, you've got to
retain the fruit.” Another MW: “It showed this marzipan [that I like] but the fruit was drying. And why
are they pouring the 2006?”
SAN POLO
“We’re in the Southeast at 450m or so, so we see a lot of sun and light. But it’s not hot; we get mainly
morning sun.” The exposure is south and southwest; there is galestro in the vineyards along with some
limestone (alberese), sandstone and loam with fossil deposits.
Rosso di Montalcino 2012- a fun and fruity wine with black cherry and red plum; full and almost
candied. The wine is cement-tank fermented, and aged in second use French tonneau for twelve
months. 13.5% total acidity 5.5 g/l.
I used the word “cheery” to describe this wine, while one MW said, “spicy red fruit and real succulence
on the palate” and this is “a really good example of how Rosso is fruit driven attractive youthful wine.”
Another noted: “It’s not trying to be too clever, but is focused upon fruit not complexity.”
Brunello di Montalcino 2009 – this was fruity and rather easy in comparison to some of the others,
but with no less earth and floral elements. Perhaps not quite as long as some other others but not
lacking in complexity. As with the Rosso, this wine is also cement-tank fermented, and then aged in
new French tonneau for twenty-four months. 13.7% total acidity 5.4 g/l.
ANTINORI PIAN DELLE VIGNE
The estate is south of the town of Montalcino above the Orcia River valley. “We’re on the west side at
200m looking southwest. It’s a kind of amphitheater, with vines at different levels. The Riserva is at
top. It has calcareous soils with clay, red clay not grey clay, and a lot of stones. It has good water
retention in winter and that helps in summer, but the soils are not compact.”
Brunello di Montalcino 2009 – offering powerful, stewed cherries and plums, with an overt barrique
note of toast and chocolate. Long and powerful iron notes, with intense earth. One MW: “this has the
hallmark of quality.”
2009 saw winter rains that were useful for ground water reserves. Summer was hot and dry. The
company thins the crop twice and the de-stemmed and pressed grapes are stainless steel fermented,
then aged in oak casks with 3000 to 800 liter capacities.
One MW noted that the “Pian Della Vigne is going through its lush, sexy style. They do it very well as
one would expect of Antinori, but I’m checking my back pocket.”
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Ferrovia 2007- baked almost chocolate, stewed fruits, vanilla,
same mouth, big and dense and earthy. One MW called both wines “quite smart.” Another liked the
Brunello but found the Riserva “bitterly disappointing in every sense of the word.”
The 2007 vintage saw a mild winter and spring; the early start led to a growing season with the
favored diurnal swings. September was warm and sunny. The winery talks about two green harvests:
in early July and just before harvest. As for winemaking, grapes are destemmed and malolactic
happens in small oak barrels, where the wines sit for the first six months. The wines then go into 800liter casks for twelve months and then into 1600-liter casks for twelve months.
Throughout the discussion, there seemed little in the way of general consensus for any particular wine
or domaine. One MW described many of the wines as possessing a “sort of mid-palate marzipan
without a pure fruit mouth, but when the pure fruit comes through it’s fantastic.” Another asked, “why
this rule of 4 years? What if it's already at its peak [before then]?”
One observed that the fruit and tannin balance seemed better controlled than with the six wines tasted
on the first morning, with no lack of fruit to match the astringency, and “a more coherent balance
between fruit and tannin.”
16
Perhaps a candid reporter might state that a number of the MW tasters expressed something between
cynicism and suspicion. Maybe that’s always true of MW’s, not merely a response to the current state
of Brunello di Montalcino. Still, this writer could not be more enthusiastic about Rosso di Montalcino
and more conflicted about Brunello di Montalcino.
Camigliano - Antony Moss MW
Sales Manager Paola Falabretti provided an overview of this 530ha estate, purchased by the Ghezzi
family in 1957. It is located in the South East of Brunello, far from any distractions of city life (or even
lively village life). When the estate was purchased, over 500 people lived in the village. Now there are
just 32.
190ha are planted with vines, including 50ha for Brunello di Montalcino. The total production of
Brunello (around 170k bottles/year, including Riserva) makes it one of the larger producers. In
addition to this, around 100k bottles of Rosso, plus a further 70k bottles of other wines (mostly IGT)
are produced, as well as olive oil and cereals -and grappa. 2014 was the first year where all the wine
grapes were cultivated organically. An experimental organic 5ha in 2013 convinced the owners that
quality could be viably maintained without synthetic chemicals. The shift to organic production is
motivated by the desire for sustainability.
Oenologist Sergio Cantini joined us for lunch and a tour of the cellar. Production is similar to other
wines of the region: stainless steel fermentation, then ageing in large oak for Brunello and barriques
for Rosso. When he can source it, Cantini prefers Slavonian oak to Alliers (it integrates more
seamlessly, and leads to a better balanced wine, in his opinion), but good Slavonian oak is relatively
hard to find.
Vermentino ‘Gamal’ Toscana IGT 2013
Simple, light and fresh.
Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2012
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2009
‘Gualto’ Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG2006
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 1979
The house style for these reds seemed to be fresh, ripe but not overripe red cherry and floral fruit, and
well defined tannins. The Rosso and the Brunello made a good contrast with the delicious Rosso
showing chunky texture and touch of oak in finish, while the Brunello showed similar (if slightly riper)
cherry/blossom aromas, but more intensity and focus, and much finer textured tannins. The Riservas
added complexing elements of tea and sage, and avoided seeming drying or tired (a common problem
in many other Riservas tasted on the trip), and even the 1979 seemed astonishingly vibrant with fruit
gently transformed in direction of baked/jammy, rather than fading.
‘Campo ai Mori’ Sant’Antemo DOC 2008
Attractive developing Cabernet Sauvignon aromas, and an almost New-World fruit ripeness and
definition, but with firm grippy tannin.
‘l’Aura’ Moscadello di Montalcino DOC 2010
Muscat aromas, but also tom tertiary almond and geranium. Sweet but not heavy.
Caparzo - Jonathan Pedley MW
The MW party enjoyed an extended visit to the Caparzo estate, involving a tour of a vineyard and the
winery, followed by a tasting and lunch. During our stay we met Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini
(proprietor), Federico Rabasi (agronomist), Massimo Bracalente (oenologist/winemaker), Paolo
Vagaggini (consultant oenologist), Mirco Biliorsi (export manager) and Alessandra Santoni
(hospitality).
17
The Caparzo property in Montalcino has sister wineries in Chianti Classico (Borgo Scopeto) and the
Maremma (Doga delle Clavule). During the tasting it was possible to have a look at wines from all
three estates.
Caparzo is located in the northern part of Montalcino. The estate covers 200 hectares, of which 90
hectares are under vine. During our vineyard walk the discussion included the following topics:
Rootstocks. 5BB and 1103 were popular.
Sangiovese clones. Ten clones are grown across the estate, varying by bunch shape, size of
berry, skin hardness and ripening time.
Planting density. Across Montalcino this has increased from an average of 3,500 vines per
hectare in the 1990s to 5,500 vines per hectare now (with some trials as high as 10,000 vines
per hectare).
Pest and disease challenges. At Caparzo the usual suspects of peronospera and red spider
mite are joined by wild boar from the forest.
Green harvesting. In some plots it is necessary to reduce the number of clusters from between
10 and 12 right down to 4.
Environmental initiatives. The property is very proud of its bank of solar panels. There are
plans for a biomass plant. The aspiration is to become self sufficient in energy.
Given the risk of extracting harsh dry tannins from Sangiovese, it was interesting to hear Paolo
Vagaggini’s strategy for handling this grape in the cellar. Paolo reckons that most of the problems
occur towards the end of fermentation, where the increasing alcohol concentration and disintegrating
grape skin combine to extract the tougher tannins. Hence his approach is to work the skins hard
before and at the beginning of fermentation, progressively lightening the touch as the alcohol level
rises. A three day cold soak at 15°C is followed by almost continuous pumping over during the first
couple of days of fermentation. Délestage is also practised. Pumping over becomes less frequent
during the remainder of the fermentation (about 7 days). Thereafter the wine undergoes a month long
cuvaison in a closed tank with no further manipulation. Eventually the vat is drained without
pressing.
Malolactic fermentation is carried out in stainless steel. Traditionally maturation takes place in large
Slavonian oak (7,000 litre botti for the Brunello and 3,000 litre botti for the Rosso). Nowadays the
winery has the option of using French oak barrels (varying in size from 300 litres to 700 litres) and is
currently experimenting with some American oak barrels.
The following wines were tasted
Caparzo
Chardonnay
IGT Toscana
2013
13%
The grapes for this wine are sourced from all
three group properties. The actual blend is 85%
Chardonnay, 5% Vermentino, 5% Moscato and
5% Trebbiano.
Caparzo
“Le Grance”
IGT Toscana
2010
13%
Pale lemon.
Simple light and clean.
Dry, mid-high acidity, mid-light bodied and
moderate alcohol.
Short finish and a bit simple.
Mid gold.
Exotic and stone fruit aromas with some oak.
Dry, mid acidity, mid bodied and moderate
alcohol.
Rounded and succulent.
18
The grape mix is 75% Chardonnay, 20%
Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Traminer.
Doga delle Clavule
Vermentino
IGT Toscana
2013
13%
Caparzo
Sangiovese
IGT Toscana
2013
13%
As for the Chardonnay the grapes for this wine
are sourced from all three group properties. The
actual blend is 85% Sangiovese, 5% Petit Verdot,
5% Merlot and 5% Alicante.
Caparzo
Moscadello di Montalcino
Late Harvest
2006
15%
Doga delle Clavule
Morellino di Scansano
2012
13%
Caparzo
Rosso di Montalcino
2011
13.5%
Caparzo
“La Caduta”
Rosso di Montalcino
2011
14%
Caparzo
Brunello di Montalcino
2009
13.5%
Caparzo
“La Casa”
Brunello di Montalcino
2008
13.5%
Caparzo
Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva
2006
14%
Mid length.
Pale lemon.
Delicate and light on the nose. Elderflower and
quince.
Dry, mid-low acidity, light bodied and mid
alcohol.
Simple fruit.
Short finish.
Mid pink.
Youthful, fragrant and friendly with aromatic red
fruit.
Dry, mid acidity, mid-light bodied, just a touch of
youthful tannins and moderate alcohol.
Mid-short finish.
Mid old gold.
Rich raisined concentration with a touch of high
toned development.
Sweet, mid acidity, lightish bodied and warm
alcohol.
Some length but a bit dry on the finish.
Mid pinkish ruby.
A decent attack of vibrant youthful fruit. Red
cherry and redcurrant.
Dry, mid acidity, mid bodied, a touch of dry
tannin and mid alcohol.
Attractive crunchy bitter cherry finish.
Mid ruby with a hint of garnet.
Ripe red juicy fruit with some oak.
Dry, mid-low acidity, mid bodied, quite dry
tannins and warmish alcohol.
Mid-short finish.
Mid ruby with a hint of garnet.
Pure ripe fruit. Some development.
Dry, mid-low acidity, mid-full bodied, a good grip
of chewy tannins and warm alcohol.
Fleshy.
Mid length.
Mid brick.
A decent concentration of ripe spicy red fruit. A
touch of meatiness.
Dry, mid-low acidity, full bodied, building dry
tannins and warmish alcohol.
Mid-long finish.
Mid garnet.
Ripe, chocolate, liquorice, spice and tar. Quite
oaky.
Dry, lowish acidity, full bodied, a good grip of dry
tannin and warmish alcohol. Sweet fruit.
Quite a long finish.
Mid brick.
Developing on the nose: beefy, spicy, cocoa-like
aromas. Fragrant.
Dry, lowish acidity, full bodied, quite dry but
polished tannins and warm alcohol.
Fleshy mid palate fruit.
Longish finish.
19
Caparzo
Ca del Pazzo
IGT Toscana
2010
13.5%
The blend is 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet
Sauvignon.
Borgo Scopeto
Chianti Classico
2012
13%
The grape mix is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and
5% Colorino.
Borgo Scopeto
“Vigna Misciano”
Chianti Classico
Riserva
2009
13.5%
Borgo Scopeto
Borgonero
2011
13%
The blend is 40% Sangiovese, 20% Syrah, 20%
Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot.
Caparzo
“La Casa”
Brunello di Montalcino
2004
14%
Mid ruby-garnet.
Pronounced leafy herbaceous nose. Oak is to the
fore.
Dry, mid acidity, full bodied, a big dry structure
of tannin and mid-high alcohol.
Developing fruit on the mid palate.
Mid-long finish. A bit of a blockbuster.
Pale ruby with a hint of garnet.
Pleasant and moderate in intensity. A hint of
cherry and spice.
Dry, mid acidity, mid bodied, a touch of dry
tannin and moderate alcohol.
Youthful fruit on the mid palate.
Mid-short finish.
Medium ruby.
A decent attack of ripe dark fruit with spice and
liquorice nuances. Showing some development.
Dry, mid-low acidity, mid-full bodied, quite solid
tannins and warmish alcohol.
Mid length.
Mid pink ruby.
Effusive dark fruit: damson and plum. Some
spice notes as well.
Dry, mid-low acidity, mid bodied, ripe yielding
tannins and mid-warm alcohol.
Plenty of sweet fruit on the palate.
Mid length.
Mid terracotta.
Forward, lifted developing nose with complex
spice, ink, tar and dried fruit notes.
Dry, lowish acidity, mid-full bodied, refined
resolving tannins and warm but balanced alcohol.
There is still some fruit on the mid palate.
Long finish with just a touch of “old school”
dryness on the end.
Bottega - Arne Ronold MW
Bottega is a fairly recent addition to the producers of Brunello di Montalcino. The company was
established in 1977 by Aldo Bottega and started of as a distillery. In 1992 they moved into wine
production by adding a line of sparkling wines in Veneto, and between 2009 and 2011 they acquired
the direct management of two wineries in Veneto and Tuscany, one in Valpolicella and one in
Brunello.
The project in Brunello is a cooperation with Flavio Fanti and his daughter Thea at La Palazzetta, and
the wines are made at the facilities there. The production comprise a DOC Rosso di Montalcino, a
DOC Sant’ Antimo made from sangiovese, 10 % colorino and a touch of merlot, a DOCG Brunello di
Montalcino and a DOCG Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Total production is around 100 000 bottles
a year. The viticulture is based on Lutte Raisonnée and the wines are aged in botti and tonneaux. Our
visit included a tour of the vineyards near the Sant’ Antimo church and a tasting of the four wines
produced. The wines were all of decent quality if a bit on the oaky side and were all fairly high in
alcohol. The best wine was the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2007 – as it should be.
La Gerla - Mark de Vere MW
On Tuesday evening, sub-group #1 rounded out our study trip to Montalcino with a fascinating and
diverse visit courtesy of La Gerla; a visit of at least four sections, and a fascinating tour of parts of the
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region that we had not yet explored, graciously and expertly led by Alberto Passeri, the Managing
Director of La Gerla.
Alberto rendezvoused with our little group at the Abbazia di Sant’Antimo, and the first part of our trip
was a rare cultural treat. This former Benedictine abbey gave its name to the DOC which allows
inclusion of varieties other than Sangiovese. The fine Romanesque building is spectacular, nestled
beneath the small town of Castelnuovo dell’Abate; the setting was made even more dramatic as the
louring storm clouds drifted across the sky, providing a counterpoint to the golden sunlight of the
early summer evening. Through a friend of Alberto, we were escorted on a behind the scenes visit. In
the usually locked Carolingian chapel we saw fascinating medieval frescoes illustrating the life of St
Benedict. We descended into the crypt, where Sant’Antimo’s relics no longer rest. We were then
escorted up a secret staircase, and around the spacious clerestory gallery, which granted us both a rare
perspective inward and down into the nave, and fun outward glimpses to Castelnuovo and the
surrounding buildings.
From Sant’Antimo we went to the south-facing slope below Castelnuovo dell’Abate looking down to
the southernmost border of the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG zone, the southern end of the southeast quadrant of Montalcino. Here we started our exploration of the vineyards of La Gerla. Although
technically the Managing Director, Alberto said his main role is really as the agronomist. Down the
hill from Castelnuovo, we stood at the top of their Oliveto vineyard, while storm clouds swirled and
thunder rumbled in the sky. The vines sloped away beneath us, down to the river Orcia, the southern
border of the DOCG, yielding to spectacular views of the Tuscan countryside beyond. This land is not
an old vineyard: it was purchased in 1997 and planted to vines.
Alberto explained that this site is very different from their vineyard around the winery in the north.
The south facing slope and warm southerly, lower elevation (300-350m) site, sheltered from the cold
north winds, produces powerful rich wines, with high tannin and polyphenolics. Typically the vines
ripen smoothly and easily here, about 15 days before the Canalicchio vineyard. The biggest challenges
are in hot years, when the site struggles with being too warm. The soils are low in organic matter,
unlike the sites on the north side; and here the vine’s roots go down many metres into the dark black
rocks, unlike in the north where they find nutrients in the top metre or so of soil. The soils have a mix
of sand, limestone, a touch of clay, and ample galestra. The vines struggle in these poor soils, and the
vines planted in 1997 are still small with thin trunks. Disease pressure is low, and only some copperand-sulphur is needed; he also sprays a worm byproduct onto the leaves, which he finds improves
balance and leaf health. Wines from here, with their deep extraction and strong tannin texture are a
good contrast to the elegance from the higher Canalicchio vineyard.
The clouds broke and we ended our tour with a refreshing downpour, as we climbed back up the hill,
passing the small new new cru they call La Pieve, to our bus. The rain continued on our drive back to
the north side of Montalcino, to La Gerla’s original estate at Canalicchio. This estate, home to the
winery, in the middle of the north-east slope of Montalcino, was originally owned by Biondi Santi, and
provided fruit for that great wine; Sergio Rossi was able to purchase it in 1976. Here we were to be
greeted by Donatella, wife of Sergio Rossi, who had founded La Gerla, who now continues his legacy.
Their goal is to make classically styled wines with an approachability that does not require long aging,
but are enjoyable on release; they are also proud of the quality they can achieve at relatively
approachable prices: for example, Alberto referenced last year’s Wine Spectator reviews, in which
their Riserva received top rating, while being priced at only US$75, much less than other similarly
rated Brunelli.
We arrived at the Canalicchio estate in torrential rain and dashed into their 20 year old cellar. Alberto,
accompanied by Marisa the cellar master, explained that the cellar is designed to work towards their
goal of making the most typical and most recognizable wine, one that connects with the soil and with
the area. Wines are vinified in stainless steel, and only transferred to wood when clean and stabilized.
Typically the malolactic is completed in stainless steel, except for the single vineyard Vigna d’Angeli,
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which goes through ml in barriques, before being transferred to large oak casks. Only indigenous yeast
are used for the primary fermentation; ml is inoculated. For some wines, especially the Rosso, they
employ a cold soak, one week at 5°C, with the help of a heat exchanger, to preserve the freshness in
the fruit and avoid oxidation of the phenolics. Typically this is practiced more for the fruit from
Castelnuovo rather than from Canalicchio. This was especially useful in hot years like 2011 and 2013.
Fermentation is often complete in 7 days, during which delestage is used every day, and rimontaggio
when the juice is almost dry. For the IGT wine, Birba, a process similar to ripasso is used for a tiny
percentage of the wine: taking a lighter wine and putting it onto the almost dry skins of a more
powerful wine, a process allowed for a small percentage of the blend, because it doesn’t add volume to
the wine. Total production is about 70,000 bottles: 35,000 of Brunello, 20,000 Rosso and their IGT
wine, Birba.
After the cellar tour, we again snuck through to rain to be hosted graciously in Donatella’s house. We
were greeted with a magnum of Ca’ del Bosco, Cuvée Prestige, Franciacorta, and a delicious array of
antipasti. During the reception we were shown down to the aging cellar, a beautiful brick vaulted
cellar housing botte of wine ‘atto a divenire Brunello di Montalcino’, and a collection of the winery’s
bottled history. Alberto also kindly pulled a bottle of the 1990 to add to our tasting. We also learnt that
the name La Gerla came from the old wooden baskets that were carried with straps on the back – a
lovely one was on display.
Dinner, in the barrel cellar, was prepared by an excellent chef from an important restaurant in Val
d’Orcia, whom they generously brought to cater for us. The wine tasting, with a fantastic vertical of the
single vineyard Riserva gli Angeli, was enjoyed during our meal. We started by revisiting the delicious
fresh fruit of the 2012 Rosso di Montalcino. Next came the Birba 2010, an IGT. We were informed that
Birba (originally ‘Birbante’) literally meant ‘smart-ass’, and was an off-beat style of wine created in
1985 by Sergio Rossi and long-time winemaker Vittorio Fiore. Originally it had included Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend, but since 1988 it has been 100% Sangiovese. Birba is aged for 14
months in barriques, rather than the larger 50-100hl oak used for the Brunelli. With this was served
bruschette, Tuscan bread with the estate’s olive oil, and a selection of specialty bacon and sausages.
The rain had passed, and those of us who slipped outside between courses were treated to some of the
most spectacular sunset views of the rolling Tuscan landscape.
Next came the 2009 Brunello, a challenging vintage in which the single vineyard wine was not made.
It was nevertheless silky, elegant and long; and delicious with the ribollita.
The highlight of the tasting was, of course, the vertical of the single vineyard wine, from the Gli Angeli
cru, in the Canalicchio site. This site, originally a part of the Biondi Santi estate, is a small 1.5 ha parcel
facing east. Theoretically this site could produce 10,000 bottles, but they restrict the yield to produce
half this amount. We were privileged with the 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004 and 2001 vintages. The 2001
was labeled just as Vigna gli Angeli; since 2004 this wine has been a Riserva, and labeled Riserva gli
Angeli. All were beautiful; each was the preference of someone in the group.
Finally we were treated to the 1990 Brunello that Alberto had pulled from our cellar tour. Definitely
mature, but still beautiful, elegant and alive. Three cheeses were served, two pecorinos from Pienza,
and an Asiago from the Veneto. And with the wonderful crostata di prugne, homemade plum tart, we
had the chance to sample the estate’s grappa, distilled for them by Deta. We left in excellent condition
for the long bus ride through the rain and the dark to Bolgheri.
From the cultural visit to Sant’Antimo, the viticultural seminar in Castelnuovo, and the cellar tour at
Canalicchio, through the beautiful reception, generous wine tasting and excellent dinner we had been
beautifully hosted. The group was extremely grateful for the wonderful education and gracious
hospitality we received. Mark Bingley eloquently expressed thanks to Donatella, Alberto, and the La
Gerla team on behalf of the Institute, and our small travelling group.
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Banfi - Rob Geddes MW
With a brand meaning that aims for “good wholesome wine everyday” John Mariani has created one
of the great 20th century wine estates. He was on hand with his team to greet us after the obligatory
photo on the bench with a fibreglass Einstein statue, we knew we were in for an interesting visit.
John explained in rapid fire fashion the importance of the geology , the mountains and that this was
“the largest private winery in Europe” with 2,600 acres producing for Castello Banfi and Banfi. The
vision he has implemented is remarkable having diverted two rivers and built 7 dams on the estate. He
is involved in a tireless search for improving French and Italian varietals.
A winery tour followed with John and his team explaining the winery is based on gravity flow and
most reds are fermented in 177 hl oak vats. John voiced his views on the DOC and DOCG rules and the
changes needed to implement at the legal level by his team “to create wines that will drink well young,
rather than age 40 years.”
The professionalism exhibited in the tasting was exemplary with the oenologists revealing they had
rehearsed the wine tasting the day before. Our tasting held amidst casks of maturing Brunello di
Mantalcino it was both atmospheric and encyclopaedic.
They commenced hand picking for the following wines in 2007.
Castello Banfi Poggio alla Ora Riserva has had 12 releases since 1986 and is literally the best of the
best with about 20,000 bottles of each release.
We tasted the following which was an excellent introduction to the high standards of the estate and
durability of the wines of this region.
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alla Oro riserva 1990,1997,2007,2009
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alla mura riserva 2007
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva,2007,2009
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1990,2007,2009
Wednesday May 14th
Ornellaia - Richard Kershaw MW
First up on Wednesday morning was our visit to Ornellaia.
Leonardo Raspini, the general Manager, warmly welcomed us, before escorting us up to the Bellaria
vineyards about 10 minutes drive towards the sea.
Made up of around 92 hectares of total vineyard planted, Ornellaia has around 42 hectares
surrounding the winery and the rest in this picturesque vineyard, Bellaria, which we now stood on a
deck in the middle of one of the vineyard blocks at around 90 metres elevation. Stretching into the
distance lay the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the right Gorgon Island, Elba and to the left Corsica (which its
3000 metre high mountains were still snow-capped in May!) and in the foreground on either side of
us were the various vineyard blocks comprising Cabernet Sauvignon (38%) which has always worked
well in giving structure and fruit to the wines; Merlot (35%) which yields fabulous fruit in the right
places; and Cabernet Franc (15%) which has become the darling of the area with its beautiful aromatic
profile such that more has been put into the planting program. The area of Bellaria was developed
during the 1980’s and the rich clay soils have proved an ideal base for Merlot that has been
increasingly planted not just for Ornellaia but also their sister brand, Masseto, which is Merlot
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dominated. There are also smaller parcels of Petit Verdot (5-6%), Viognier and interestingly Petit
Manseng for their Poggio alle Gazze label that make up together with a block of Sauvignon Blanc the
other 3-4%. The rootsotcks are mainly 420A and intriguingly the trellis systems vary between spur
cordon, gobelet and guyot in a process to understand which method works best.
The vineyards run down to the sea, with a South West aspect and the soils differ as they progress
downwards with more calcerous at the top lending elegance and finesse to the wine and more clay at
the bottom giving structure and tannin. The soils are fairly deep and also young having been formed
as the second range of hills after the Apennines.
Sangiovese has been planted but ripens too well and thus is better further inland and with higher
altitude.
A maritime climate, the area experiences warm weather with August temperatures between 30-36ºC
and 18-20ºC at night. This means the grapes have high polyphenols and colour.
Over at the Ornellaia the close-planted vineyards are based on soils, which are sandier and redder in
colour. In the past the sea levels were higher and closer to this vineyard and grains of sand were blown
here to leave 40-metre deep sand over clay soils. Higher up these red soils turn to white as erosion has
removed most of the sand leaving calcerous and clay soils underneath which add structure to the
Ornellaia wines.
Historically, Bolgheri in the 19th Century was a swamp area suffering with malaria so a place most
tended to avoid. The Duke of Lorraine help to change that in the middle of the 19 th Century when large
scale draining took place reclaiming 350-400 hectares of viable land. The grapes at this time followed
Chianti with Aleatico and Sangiovese dominating. The growers tended to grow grapes that were
vinified into wine in other areas of Northern Tuscany. So when phylloxera arrived the growers simply
switched to olives, peaches and potatoes.
After the second World War, the Marchesi Rocchetta arrived and made the first house wines in the
area that would later in 1968 become Sassacaia. His mother’s sister was Piero Antinori’s mother and it
was Piero’s brother Ludovico who began Ornellaia, within a stone’s throw of the original Sassicaia
estate.
It is an estate that has evolved with a number of leading winemakers including Tibor Gál and
viticulturalists Danny Schuster feeding ideas and innovative techniques in both the winery and
vineyards.
In 1999, Robert Mondavi Winery bought a minority interest having been persuaded by Ludovico and
they became full owners in 2002. A partnership then developed with Frescobaldi and in 2005 they
bought out Constellation as it then was. Currently, Axel Heinz is the winemaker and Michel Rolland
the consultant oenologist.
It is this “Happy ever After” topiary at the front entrance of Ornellaia that greeted us as we entered the
winery.
The production for both Ornellaia and its second wine Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia is 150,000
bottles and Masseto 30,000 bottles.
The vinification is fairly straightforward with hand picking, destemming and double sorting and the
use of basket rather than pneumatic presses. Maturation is about 18 months in 70% new wood, whilst
the Serre Nuove is 15 months in 25% new wood and uses younger vineyards from the estate. The IGT,
Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is from Maremma grapes in the south of Tuscany and matured in older barrels
for about 10 months and uses some of the press juice of the other 2 wines depending on vintage
characters.
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After the cellar tour we were led into a beautifully appointed tasting room which despite the slightly
tight seating was a pleasure to view the garden outside.
We were shown 5 wines in total:
Le Volte dell’ Ornellaia, IGT Toscana, 2012, 500,000 bottles produced made up of 50% Merlot, 30%
Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Debuting in 1991 this is effectively Ornellaia’s 3 rd wine
using grapes from younger vines around the estate and grapes from Maremma and Grosseto, close to
the Morellino de Scansano DOCG. It was bottled in February 2013. 2012 was a dry, very hot vintage
and the grapes had to be picked quickly to retain freshness in the resultant wine. €9.60/bottle. Mid
ruby in colour, black cherries and then blackcurrants lead the aroma. Ripe but in check, rich, plum
skin texture, black olive, frozen black summer fruits and gravelly firm tannins is augmented with a
fairly vibrant acidity. Not a bad length with grip, perhaps a little coarse, solidly made but an accent on
fruit rather than wood spices and enough intensity of flavour to make for a delicious Wednesday night
wine!
Le Serre Nuove dell ‘Ornellaia, Bolgheri DOC 2011, debuted in 1997, the name comes from a “place of
hills’ and comprises of the younger vineyards of the Ornellaia estate. Production was initially 50,000
bottles but by 2011 was close to 200,000 bottles. 2011 was a very hot vintage yet punctuated by some
cooler days in June and July along with some rain events. As such it was picked at the end of a warm
August and is seen as a ‘typical’ Bolgheri vintage showing characteristic density and power. Made from
Merlot (57%); Cabernet Sauvignon (17%); Petit Verdot (14%) and Cabernet Franc (12%). 14.5%
alcohol. Deep red, with plenty of wood spice dominating, tad of volatile lifted fruit and very ripe black
fruit dominated flavours. The palate exhibited less VA and some raspberry and sour black cherries
joined the blackcurrant fruit spectrum. Fine powdery texture, densely weighted and enough acidity to
keep it together with some firm silky tannin made for a full-bloodied wine. Layers of fruit, complexity
and an appealing modern style of wine with lingering length made this a very enjoyable wine that was
approachable right now.
Ornellaia was first produced in 1985 and we tried through the 2006, 2010 and 2011 vintages. Sadly,
fate wasn’t with us that day and we ended up with a number of bottles that showed various intensities
of cork. This certainly put a slant on the tasting as second bottles were opened only to reveal more
cork taint. As such the tasting notes try to ‘look through’ some of the taint as best as possible.
2006: A very dry summer but not exceptionally hot meant the grapes came in perfectly healthy and
made for a top year. 15% alcohol, made from Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) Merlot (27%); Cabernet
Franc (12%) and Petit Verdot (5%). Deep-red-garnet, ripe fruit and warm spices on the nose with a
tertiary and then a more noted mushroom character which deviated the focus a little (touch corky);
second bottle revealed more of the black fruits at first, christmas cake, umami notes, with plenty of
flesh and fine powder tannins, although as the wine stayed open a noted drying character appeared
suggesting further cork issues.
2010: A rainy season with double the annual precipitation. July and August were warm and picking
was one of the latest starts of recent years with far more Merlot in the blend due to the later picking.
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon (53%) Merlot (39%); Cabernet Franc (4%) Petit Verdot (4%) the wine
was matured for 15-20 days on the skins. Deep garnet, the nose was remarkably perfumed with black
dominated forest fruit and hint of violets. Wonderful richness in the mouth with a cherry skin texture,
slightly herbal edge which became dusty with a noted bell pepper note. Dense, puckering tannins, with
animated acidity and a floral lifted character. The wine was a little unapproachable right now but had
the guts to show better in another couple of years time. There was also a nagging dryness on the finish
and bitter cherry that at first seemed in keeping with the wine but later felt it was also slightly affected
with hint of cork or just out of condition. A second bottle revealed more fruit purity and dense, but
more assimilated tannins.
2011: As has been noted the 2011 was a hot dry vintage with an earlier harvest date. Made from
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Cabernet Sauvignon (51%) Merlot (32%); Cabernet Franc (11%) Petit Verdot (6%) the first bottle
showed noted cork taint and the second bottle was still not perfect. However, deep, black red in
colour, plenty of sweet ripe black fruit, hint of mint with a pretty nose. A finely structured frame
packed with fruit with wonderful richness, breadth of flavour, dried spices, a fairly generous alcohol
and silky smooth tannins. A mouthfilling wine that exudes sweet fruit concentration balanced with
just about enough acidity and a long winding finish drinking rather well right now.
We also finished off the tasting with a glass of the Poggio alle Gazze dell' Ornellaia 2012 made from
Sauvignon Blanc (90%) and Viognier (10%). Pale lemon colour; noted ammoniac, lemon oil,
honeysuckle and smoky wood characters. Ripe, juicy wine, with intense fruit flavours, fleshy mid
palate and an energetic acidity.
Argentiera - Paul Liversedge MW
This stunningly beautiful hilltop property lies at the southern tip of Bolgheri only 2kms from the sea.
It is the brainchild of 2 brothers – Corrado and Marcello Fratini – who made their fortune in the
fashion business, creating famous clothing brands such as Rifle jeans. Since 1990 they have gradually
built up a chain of retail clothing and fashion outlets both in Italy and now also in China, with their
second outlet due to open later this year in Shanghai.
This project was started in 1999 with the vineyards planted during 2000 and 2001. It now comprises a
total of 70 hectares of vines, 45 of these located on the hillside, with a majority of clay and galestro
soils at the top becoming sandier as you move downhill. Nnual production averages around 500,000
bottles. Because of its southerly location this is one of the warmest parts of Bolgheri, and the
amphitheatre of hills surrounding it to the east make it also one of the driest, receiving only around
400mm rainfall per annum. The hillside which peaks at around 200m above sea level is very
important as temperatures are 4-5 degrees Centigrade cooler at the top than the bottom and there is
always a cooling breeze blowing off the Mediterranean to the west. This combination gives a
noticeable freshness to the wines. July/August temperatures of 35C down below and 30C at the top
allow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah grapes to ripen perfectly each year, creating a
wine style which is a mix of French and New World in its fullness, ripeness of fruit and smoothness of
tannins, and alcohol levels between 14-15 degrees.
The operation is managed by Frederico Zileri, a very professional and charming ex-Florentine
businessman. Winemaker is Julien Lavenu with Stephane Deronencourt acting as consultant.
The breathtaking view from the winery out towards Elba and the distant peaks of Corsica is matched
in its quality by the state of the art equipment inside the winery. No expense has been spared in either
the tank room, which is kitted out with the latest in stainless steel, cone-shaped fermentation tanks, or
the barrel room, where over 1,000 barrels - 90% French and 10% Hungarian - stretch out before you.
Barrels are replaced approximately every 5 years, with the flagship red wines seeing around 20% new
oak during its maturation.
Each of the 25 different vineyard plots is vinified and matured separately, and a long (but not
aggressive) 35-40 day maceration is important to the depth, structure and richness of fruit in the red
wines.
We tasted before lunch their Poggio ai Ginepri Bianco IGT 2013, a fresh, aromatic, lemon and lime
flavoured blend of 50% Vermentino , 30% Viognier and 20% Sauvignon Blanc with just enough
acidity to make it perfect for lunchtime drinking, and their Poggio ai Ginepri Bolgheri Rosato 2013, a
fresh and fruity, slightly off dry blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and equal proportions of Syrah and
Merlot; again very easy drinking.
With lunch we enjoyed a small vertical of their flagship red; Argentiera.
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The 2010 was a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Full bodied
with silky smooth tannins and very ripe red fruits, this saw 18 months in barrique and 12 more in
bottle before being released for sale. Underneath the warm fruit there was a pleasing freshness and
interesting core of minerality; an extrovert wine with inner complexity.
Argentiera 2008 had 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Full of ripe,
almost sweet red fruit, this seemed rounder, riper and softer than the 2010 but with hints of mint and
eucalyptus providing interest.
The 2007 – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc – had considerably more
bite and freshness of acidity than the 2008. Again with those delicious Bolgheri-ripe red fruits and
silky smooth tannins, but this time combined with more herbal, eucalyptus and spice notes
Finally the 2006 - a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc –
seemed the freshest and most mineral of the 4 vintages we tried. Its dark cassis fruits were
complemented by more developed,tertiary flavours of cedar and tobacco; still the tannins were
smooth and ripe.
The vines for these wines are still young – between 5 and 10 years old for the vintages above – and so
there is surely really interesting potential for this wine in the future, given the above tasting.
Ca’marcanda - Peter Marks MW
On the afternoon of 14th May, we enjoyed an incredible visit to Ca' Marcanda in Bolgheri. We were
graciously hosted by Gaia Gaja, the daughter of Angelo Gaja.
The name Ca' Marcanda is a contraction of the word "ca" meaning house and "marcanda" meaning
long negotiations. This stems from the arduous 18 separate meetings it took Angelo to convince the
previous owners to sell their property.
The winery was started in 1996. Today Ca’ Marcanda owns 118 hectares, 80% of which is in Bolgheri
and the other 20% in Livorno. Years ago this area was used for cattle grazing, growing grains and
vegetables, and olive trees.
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The building was designed by architect Giovanni Bo and built into the hillside to fit in seamlessly with
the environment. No olive trees were destroyed during the construction; they were all replanted along
the perimeter of the property. Olive trees are relatively easy to transplant as their roots only grow 1
meter deep.
To construct the winery, they made a big hole and used stones from the property. In fact, many of the
materials used to build the winery came from the property itself. Pipes and tiles were repurposed from
factories.
Planting at the estate continued from 1996 until 2004 with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc and Syrah. There are six unique parcels that are picked at different times.
At first it was hard to understand which where the best sites were, as there was no culture or history of
wine here.
Gaia explained the main types of soils here:
• Sand which is found near sea
• Clay which is fertile and retains water well. She also called these brown soils. They range up to
approximately 80 meters elevation.
• White soils at higher elevation (150-180 meters), which is compacted clay with limestone. The first 2
meters contains a fair amount of limestone and then you reach hard, compacted clay.
The vineyards are managed differently depending upon the type of soil. Rich soils are planted with
plant wheat and grasses to compete with the vigor of the vines. In poor soils they plant beans to
increase the nitrogen content of the soil. They also work the hard, compacted soils to loosen them.
Conditions in Bolgheri are very windy and dry. These conditions are perfect for pasture land which
was common for many years. Bolgheri is definitely affected by the sea and wind. At Ca’ Marcanda, the
mountains and sea coast are parallel to each other. There is less humidity and less wind here than in
Livorno.
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Vineyards are young but vines are starting to show more of where they're from. Quality of the wines is
increasing too.
At Ca' Marcanda they are 80% biological or organic, the remaining 20% (which tends to be on the
borders near neighbors' olive trees and other crops) will be certified next year.
They make three red wines:
• Promis (28,0000 bottles per year)
• Magari 80,000 bottles)
• Ca’ Marcanda (20,000 bottles)
There is a movement now to produce wines with less alcohol and yet with ripe tannin. They are
planting more grass in vineyards to maintain cooler temperature.
(Note the square outline in the picture on the left; this opens up to drop the grapes into the fermenters
below)
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At the winery, grapes brought in and gravity fed. They go through a sorting table before being crushed
and dropped into fermentation tanks. The middle room used for malolactic. The floor is made from
basalt, and they can easily warm and heat the room.
Gaia called this sculpture the “Momma and the Baby”.
A question was raised about the use of corks. Gaia explained you must have more than one supplier.
They use 3 suppliers and all the corks are tested by an independent laboratory.
Tasting:
2013 Vistamari (15,000 - 20,000 bottles)
60% Vermentino (SS aged), 40% Viognier (wood aged)
1st vintage was 2009
Labeled as IGT Toscana since some of fruit from Livorno.
Lovely aromatic freshness of floral notes, orange blossom, peach, and apricot skin. Very dry on the
palate with almost a phenolic edge to the wine. Moderate+ acidity, but very refreshing and delicious.
Gaia then presented us with 2 wines to taste blind.
Sample #1 was from brown clay soils, which gives more fruit richness and round texture. The wine
showed a lot of oak spice, deep blackberry, dark cherry, plum, and licorice notes. Good firm tannins
and balancing acidity on the palate.
Sample #2 was from white soils, producing a leaner, more elegant wine. The wine had less oak and
less ripe fruit. Aromas tended towards herbal, cherry, plum, and raspberry. The wine had more
acidity, less body and richness, less tannin, but was certainly more elegant and refreshing as Gaia
explained. This would likely age longer.
Promis comes from brown soil and vineyards in Livorna.
Magari from white and brown soils
Ca' Marcanda from white soils, which makes the best wine.
30
2012 Promis Toscana IGT
55% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 10% Sangiovese. Approximately €35. 15% new French oak. Drink now to 6
years. Clean, fresh, light herbs, sweet cherry, plum, bright acidity and medium tannins
2012 Margari Toscana IGT
50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. Approximately €40. 35%-40% new
French oak. Very fresh, cherry, plum, cassis, well integrated tannins and medium-full body. An
elegant wine to drink now to 8 years.
2010 Ca' Marcanda Bolgheri
50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. Approximately €90. Up to 60% new
French oak. This was a cool vintage, and there’s a lot of freshness still in the wine. Aromas of sweet
toasty, vanilla oak, dark plum, dark cherry, mocha, and blackberry. On the palate the wine is very
young with firm rich tannins, bright acidity. Oak is dominating right now, however there’s a nice
balance of tannin, fruit and acid.
2000 Ca' Marcanda
This was a warm year, and the vines were only 3-4 years. The roots were shallow at the time. The wine
displays the acidity that allows this wine to age. Aromas of herbs, mushroom, cedar, cooked broccoli,
smoky, toasty oak, and red fruits. Very soft entry on the palate, then the tannins sneak up at the end.
Good acidity. Medium+ finish. Drink now - 4 years.
Gaia mentioned that their wines are not labeled as Bolgheri Superiore as they don't care to age their
wines in wood for a long time.
At the conclusion, Jonathan Pedley thanked Gaia for the fantastic visit and she truly appreciated her
gift from the Institute.
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Guado al Tasso - Phil Tuck MW
The group was welcomed by our host for the evening, the charming Albiera Antinori, who is the family
member responsible for this estate now. Her Winemaker, Marco Ferranese and Estate Manager
Claudio Palchetti were also on hand as she gave us a brief history of the estate, one of nine owned by
the Antinori empire in Tuscany alone.
We were told how the 1000ha estate, just outside Bolgheri, 95km SW of Florence had been in Piero’s
mother’s family since the 14th Century, well before the area became well known for its viticulture. The
existing estate, having been divided between the two inheriting sisters in the 1940s, now has 300ha of
prime vineyard from where the fruit for the revered Guado al Tasso is grown. The other sister, who
was to marry Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, was given a dowery of the nearby San Guido estate, now
the home to Sassicaia of course.
As we stood listening, enchanted, under the warm Tuscan evening sunshine, our first wine of visit was
thrust into our hands:
-
Scalabrone Rosé 2013, 12.5%. From cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah this wine struck me
as the perfect wine for the situation. Pale pink. Beautifully floral and scented with freshness
and purity. Not too heavy or hot. Wonderfully refreshing acidity to hold the crisp red fruit
together and finishing bone dry. Delicious.
“Scalabrone” is named after the bandit who operated in the area during the nineteeth century.
With the generous spread of antipasti we were encouraged to sample:
-
Vermentino 2013, 12.5%. Fresh, clean crisp and mineral with enough depth of flavour to cope
with the delicious hams and salamis on offer. Slightly metallic finish. 200,000 bottles made
from 50ha on this estate. €13.50 in the local shops.
We were eventually encouraged to make a short tour of the cellar to see the impressive array of 1200
casks containing Guardo al Tasso (c. 100,000 bottle annual production) and Il Bruschatto (c.300,000
bottle annual production). The ethos here is to blend late, after the wines have had 12 months in
barrique and then returned to settle down for a further 6 months or so prior to bottling. The best reds,
we were told, come from the upper slopes furthest from the sea where the clay content of the soil suits
the varieties grown here.
From here we were ushered into the charming dining room to enjoy a delightful dinner where the
following impressive array of wines was drunk:
-
Il Bruciato 2012, Bolgheri. 60% CS, 25% merlot, 15% Syrah. €18
Lovely youthful colour. Quite muted briary notes on the nose. Well integrated if generous oak. More
peppery than overtly fruity. Very vinous. Quite dry but lovely complexity and silky texture on the
palate. Highish acidity leads to a very fine grip. Still young of course. Dry earthy finish. Full bodied
and still quite hot on the finish.
-
Cont’Ugo 2012 Bolgheri. 100% merlot. €35.
Lovely deep colour again. Rich oaky nose and overtly plumy. Lifted fleshy and vibrant mid palate with
delicious sweet fresh tannic finish. Very tight and young still. 30% new French oak for 12 months here,
70% first fill.
-
Guado al tasso 2011. 14.5%. 60% CS, 30% merlot, 10% CF.
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Deeper colour than the Cont’Ugo. Definite herbal veneer on the nose from the Cab Franc. Very dense
and tight. Decidedly oaky on the nose. Lots of cassis and cedar on the palate. Very fleshy with excellent
complexity. A little raw and young at the moment. Certainly powerful. Needs 10 years.
-
Guado al tasso 2001, Bolgheri 14.5%.60% CS, 30% Merlot, 10% syrah.
Lovely cedary development on the nose. Certainly ripe. Very spicer cedary, herbal complexity. Not
dissimilar to ripe left bank Bordeaux with more alcohol. Very polished and elegant again but
slightly unresolved tannin on the grainy finish. Very slightly drying. Perfect now. Slight
deterioration in the glass.
-
Matarocchio 2011, IGT Toscana. 100% CF.
Scented herbal classic nose of CF. Very silky, fleshy polished palate texture. Very elegant
without being huge.
-
Aleatico 2011 Sovana DOC Superiore
Oragny red with no browning. Very floral, Roses nose. Very viscous and sweet, but not overly so.
Very fresh, youthful and drinkable. Relatively simple and light with a very attractive balanced
finish. Perfect with fruit salad and Ice cream!
After brief speeches of mutual admiration and gratitude, we retired to our respective accommodations
after a thoroughly informative and convivial evening.
Thursday May 15th
Tasting of Bolgheri Superiore 2013 at Teatrino San Guido - Igor Ryjenkov MW
This scribing assignment looked daunting on the roster – Consorzio tasting, which meant multiple
suppliers, lots of principal names and wines, etc, but the format chosen by our hosts made it a much
more manageable undertaking. The tasting took place on the grounds of Tenuta San Guido lodge, at
their dedicated event space. The Consorzio president, Federico Zileri Dal Verme (Castello di Bolgheri)
offered a brief introduction, recapping the Bolgheri DOC history and key elements of the
requirements. In short - five principals drafted the regulations with Sassicaia and Ornellaia
represented among them, Bordeaux dominant blends with up to 100% of each allowed, and yet only
50% Syrah and Sangoivese, with even less (under 30%) of Petit Verdot and other complimentary
grapes. The Superiore level requires the yield of only 80 hl, 10hl lower than “normale” and the wine is
aged at least 2 years from the 1st of January after the vintage with at least 1 year must be in oak
barrels. It is the Superiore that was the focus today, all from 2009 vintage. The list of the wines
follows, for the reader’s convenience. It was a well organized format, with the expedient and very
efficient service and pace, allowing us to cover 23 wines in good time. There was not a lot of
opportunity to discuss the wines as a group or with the suppliers, but the latter just as well, since the
principals were not present – but the Consorzio General Manager Dott. Riccardo Binda was, along
with Federico, to answer any technical questions we might have. (My thanks to Dott. Binda for
providing additional information and technical specifications of the DOC after the trip). My take-away
from the tasting was that 2009 was a successful vintage in the area, whose key challenge is reaching
the physiological ripeness without the high alcohol, which is not easily addressed. Outside of a
singular, well established properties – in fact, these are located outside of where the heart DOC is
today, away from the shore in the hills – most of the plantings in DOCs are relatively recent, 10 year or
so, and are made with great visual impact and flair. That, coupled with the established reputation of
the pioneers, who have earned their stripes, and command certain prices, leads to rather high average
price for the wines from the area, and the price list attested to that. So while there is a lot to be
celebrated thanks to the dedication, focus and resources committed to finding the best expression of
the area in the glass, one cannot help but feel that we are witnessing the birth of the identity of the
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young appellation at the full admission prices. No doubt there is high quality potential here and the
growing pains will be behind soon enough with the pool of the talent, resources and know-how in the
area, but while some consumers find this birthing process exciting and ready to follow it, no matter
the costs, others may choose to hold on to their wallets until a more formed identity emerges, and
make up their minds then.
List of wines (priced is EU, estimated retail; the bolded wines scored at least 3.5 out 5, irrespective of
the price):
1.
AIA VECCHIA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE SOR UGO 2009
22.00
2.
ARGENTIERA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE ARGENTIERA 2009
58.00
3.
BATZELLA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE TAM 2009
23.00
4.
CACCIA AL PIANO, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE LEVIA GRAVIA 2009
20.00
5.
CAMPO ALLA SUGHERA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE ARNIONE 2009
34.00
6.
CASTELLO DI BOLGHERI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE CASTELLO DI BOLGHERI 2009
40.00
7.
CERALTI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE ALFEO 2009
22.00
8.
CHIAPPINI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE GUADO DE GEMOLI 2009
40.00
9.
DI VAIRA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE BOLGHERESE 2009
18.00
10.
DONNA OLIMPIA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE MILLEPASSI 2009
30.00
11.
DONNE FITTIPALDI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE 2009
30.00
12.
GIORGIO MELETTI CAVALLARI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE IMPRONTE 2009
25.00
13.
GRATTAMACCO, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE GRATTAMACCO 2009
55.00
14.
GREPPI CUPI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE RUBINO DEI GREPPI, 2009
28.00
15.
GUADO AL TASSO, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE GUADO AL TASSO 2009
88.00
16.
GUICCIARDINI STROZZI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE VIGNA RE 2009
30.00
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17.
I GREPPI, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE GREPPICAIA 2009
30.00
18.
LE MACCHIOLE, TOSCANA IGT PALEO 2009*
65.00
19.
MICHELE SATTA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE I CASTAGNI 2009
60.00
20.
ORNELLAIA, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE ORNELLAIA 2009
140.00
21.
PODERE SAPAIO, BOLGHERI SUPERIORE SAPAIO 2009
30.00
22.
POGGIO AL TESORO, TOSCANA IGT DEDICATO A WALTER 2009**
50.00
23.
TENUTA SAN GUIDO, BOLGHERI SASSICAIA SASSICAIA 2009
140.00
The asterisk wines will be Bolgheri Superiore starting with 2011 vintage.
Tenuta San Guido - Cathy Van Zyl MW
Our all-too-short visit to Tenuta San Guido, home to what is arguably Italy’s most famous Super
Tuscan - Sassicaia, began with a brief introduction to its history. The 2500 hectares making up the
estate – today shared between horses (a through-bred stud farm), vines and birds (a water fowl
sanctuary) – was a wedding gift in October 1930 to Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and Clarice della
Gherardesca.
Mario had fallen in love with wines from Bordeaux when studying in Pisa, and despite returning to
Piedmont to make wine on his family’s estate there, dreamt of one day finding a site that would allow
him to emulate the wines he so admired.
Tenuta San Guido was it and, in 19441, the Marchese planted the first cabernet sauvignon vines at
around 380 meters above sea level2 in soil he claimed was similar to Graves. Indeed, ‘sasso’ means
‘place with many stones’3.
Today, the area under vine for Sassicaia totals some 78 hectares (80% cabernet sauvignon and 20%
cabernet franc) and comprises numerous small plots extending from the vineyards at Castiglioncella
at 380 meters in stony soils to those at Via Nuova closer to the sea at 80 meters in less complex soils.
For many years, the wines the Marchese made from these vines, were drunk only by family and
friends. But, his son (Nicolò) and nephew (Piero Antinori) convinced him to consider releasing it
commercially. The 1968 was the first release to market and was not given an overwhelmingly positive
reception in Italy. However, a 1978 Decanter tasting of ‘great clarets’ established its international
reputation when it placed first in a field of 33 wines from 11 countries and, in the late-1980s, Robert
Parker added to its reputation when he awarded the 1985 vintage 100-points.
Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, who took over from his father in the early 1980s (the 1985 Parker 100pointer was made on his watch) told us that the Sassicaia vineyard area was offered its own DOC
(Sassicaia DOC) when Bolgheri was awarded its DOC status in 1994. Before that, as with other wines
35
made outside the traditional DOC/DOCG regulations, it was classified as a Vino da Tavola and then as
an Indicazione Geografica Tipica.
He said that, while they had elected to label the wine as Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC from 1994, they will,
from the 2015 vintage, drop ‘Bolgheri’ and simply utilise ‘Sassicaia DOC’.
The Marchese added that the aim with Sassicaia is to put elegance above extraction and ripeness, and
keep alcohol levels below 14%. Annual production is around 240 000 bottles. With climate change,
they are picking earlier to achieve that. Comparing the 2010 and 2011 vintages, he expressed a
preference for 2011 saying it is ‘more structured, more elegant and with greater persistence, exactly
what we are looking for’.4
We tasted the 2011 Sassicaia. Brief technical details include 85% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet
franc; alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel, 24 months in barrique (one third new)
and a few months bottle aging before release.
The wine was exceptionally appealing on the nose and palate. Intense, it offered up whiffs and tastes
of spice, black fruits and iron. Elegant and persistent, its overall impression was one of precision and
poise. It was, for me, a highlight of our visit and certainly worth cellaring for 10 years. The freshness,
balance and length I found on this wine was echoed in the 2009 we tasted a few hours later at the
tasting of that vintage organised by the Bolgheri Consorzio. While this vintage appeared slightly riper
to me, it too was my wine of the line-up.
.
Tenuta San Guido introduced a second wine, Guidolberto (Toscana - IGT), in 2000. This is typically a
cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese blend (production around 150 000 bottles) while the Le
Difese launched in 2003 (Toscana IGT - 120 000 bottles) melds cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese.
We tasted the 2012 Guidolberto (60% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot; stainless steel fermentation;
15 months aging in French and American barriques) – a fresh and vibrant glassful packed with juicy
red and black fruits and approachable tannins. It drinks nicely now but will certainly improve for
around three-plus years.
The 2012 Le Difese is a 70% cabernet sauvignon, 30% sangiovese blend fermented in stainless steel
and aged in barriques for just 12 months. Intended as the early-drinking offering from Tenuta san
Guido, it is far lighter in hue and structure than both its big brothers. With notes of cherry and
chocolate, it is certainly a very satisfying if uncomplex mouthful now, and should remain so for twothree years.
Notes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The web site states the vines were planted in 1942.
The web site suggests 350 meters is correct.
According to our guide.
Interestingly, a Decanter tasting of Bolgheri wines published on June 2, rated the 2011 18/20
and the 2010 18.5/20.
36
Master of Wine Biographies
Mark Bingley MW
Fine Wine Director of Maisons Marques et Domaines Ltd, UK distributor of Champagne Louis
Roederer. Responsibilities include wine selection, sales and marketing. MMD Ltd are also UK agent
for a number of top quality family-owned wine producers in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, South
Africa and New Zealand. Italian wine agencies: Pio Cesare, Tommasi, Castiglion del Bosco, Zisola
Mark has been involved in the Institute’s activities for many years.
Today he is Chairman of the IMW Events Committee.
In the past he has chaired the IMW Education Committee, and served as an Examiner on the IMW
Practical Examination Panel.
Dee Blackstock MW
1984-1991 Gerard Harris Fine Wines Ltd (retail side of the Relais & Chateaux hotel and restaurant,
The Bell Inn, Aston Clinton)
1991-2013 Waitrose Ltd (Food & Beverage side of John Lewis PLC) Wine Buyer specialising in
Champagne & Sparkling wine, Burgundy, New Zealand and Australia.
Certified WSET Educator (Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced levels)
Present Member Government Wine Advisory Committee
37
Steve Charters MW
Steve Charters originally qualified as a lawyer in the UK – but was seduced by the allure of wine, and
worked in retail and wine education in London, Sydney and Perth. Steve is now Director of Research
at the School of Wine and Spirits Business of ESC Dijon. He was formerly Professor of Champagne
Management at Reims Management School, and before that lectured in Wine Studies and Marketing
at Edith Cowan University in Perth. He is involved in research focusing on wine and place and
consumer behaviour with wine. He gained his PhD from Edith Cowan University in 2004, for a thesis
entitled ‘Perceptions of Wine Quality’. He is a member of the Institute of Masters of Wine having
passed its examination in 1997. Before joining Edith Cowan University Steve ran his own wine
education consultancy in Sydney. He has also worked in wine retail in Sydney, for a company
involved in importing wine.
In 1997 Steve was the winner of the Australian Vin de Champagne Award (professional section). He
has wide and current knowledge of a number international wine areas, but focusing mainly on
Champagne and Australia. He has also worked for a vintage on a winery in France. Steve has written
columns for the Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine. He is author of ‘Wine and society: The
social and cultural context of a drink’, published by Elsevier in 2006 and has also contributed to a
number of popular books on wine – including The Oxford Companion to Wine (OUP, 2006),
‘Discovering Australia: Wineries’ (Random House 1999) and ‘The Global Encyclopedia of Wine’
(Global Publishing, 2000).
John Downes MW
A freelance Master of Wine, John's activities include:
Corporate Entertainment - speaking to experts and beginners alike.
38
Broadcasting - on both television and radio.
Writing and Journalism - newspapers, national/international magazines and online.
Wine Courses - runs the wine courses at the Gordon Ramsay owned Tante Marie School of Cookery.
Wine and Food Matching - working with celebrated and celebrity chefs.
Wine Consultancy - helping clients make the best wine choice.
Doug Frost MW
Doug Frost is a Kansas City author who is one of only three people in the world to have achieved the
remarkable distinction of being both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine. (The other two are
Gerard Basset and Ronn Wiegand).
He has written three books: Uncorking Wine (1996), On Wine (2001), and the Far From Ordinary
Spanish Wine Buying Guide (2005), now in its second edition (2007).
Doug is the wine and spirits consultant for United Airlines, and writes about wine and spirits for many
national publications, including the Oxford Companion to Wine, New York Times Digital, the San
Francisco Chronicle, the Underground Wine Journal, Practical Winery & Vineyard, Cheers, Sante,
Wine & Spirits, The Wine Rerport and writes a beverage column for the Kansas City Star and
Hemispheres Magazine.
He is also the director for he Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition, and is a founding partner
of Beverage Alcohol Resources, an education and consulting company, whose other partners are Dale
DeGroff, Steve Olson, Paul Pacult and David Wondrich.
In his 30 year career in the restaurant, bar, wine and spirits industries, he has come to be known as
one of the industry's leading innovators, creators, motivators and leaders.
39
Rob Geddes MW
Rob is the author of six books and one app on wine and and works as a wine buyer, wine judge,
presenter and a freelance journalist to the wine trade, consumer wine and travel magazines.
Based in Sydney, he is in demand for his executive level presentations on wine, as a lecturer and after
dinner speaker. His first book on Australian wine, A Good Nose and Great Legs, has been
described by the Sydney Morning Herald as “not just a great title for a wine book, it covers just about
everything that should matter to Australian drinkers.” He annually publishes the Australian Wine
Vintages called the Gold Book tasting over 9000 wines for the book alone. Rob has written and
narrated a set of CDs for drinks consumers in the USA market. He is currently the tastings editor for
Drinks Trade magazine as well as a frequent contributor to Selector magazine, Drinks Trade
magazine, and Holidays Away Magazine. Rob has been a judge at numerous national and
international wine shows including on one occasion tasting wines from the wreck of the William
Salthouse sunk 1838.
Neil Hadley MW
Neil Hadley joined the UK wine trade in 1984. Following extensive travels during his WSET Diploma
and MW studies, he eventually migrated and settled in Sydney Australia in February 1993, the year in
40
which he also completed his MW exams, becoming, for a year or two, the youngest Master of Wine on
the planet.
Neil has worked with blue chip winery brands in Australia and New Zealand over the past 20 years,
including Rosemount Estate, Penfolds, Villa Maria and latterly Taylors/Wakefield Wines of Clare
Valley, South Australia. His roles have focused on Export Sales and Brand Marketing, with sometime
educator and internal consultant/agitante to winemaking bolted on for good measure.
With extensive travels for sales and promotion of his wines across Europe, Asia and the Americas, Neil
enjoys a broad exposure to the trading world of wine and periodic trips to vineyards and wineries. He
juggles a family and the needs of two growing boys, as well as learning to play ukulele for light relief.
Susan Hulme MW
Susan became a Master of Wine in 2005, winning the Madame Bollinger Tasting Medal for best
tasting papers. She runs her own wine training business, Vintuition Ltd (www.vintuition.co.uk) and is
also a consultant and wine educator.
From 2005 to 2008, Susan was the Chairman of the Association of Wine Educators (AWE www.wineeducators.com). As Chairman she organised many educational seminars and trips to wine
regions around the world including South Africa, New Zealand, Champagne and the Roussillon.
Since 2007 she has been the editor of the AWE newsletter, changing it to an e-newsletter format.
She is a panel chair judge for the IWC and judges for the Decanter World Wine Awards; she is also a
regular contributor to Decanter tasting panels.
She is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers and in the past has assisted in editing the Hachette
Wine Guide.
Susan has taught WSET courses for many years and has lectured at Diploma level and been a Diploma
examiner. Since 2007 she has been on the IMW Events Committee organising the IMW Roussillon
and Bollinger events.
Before entering the wine trade, Susan worked for the British Council in Naples, and has also worked in
Sicily and Bari. She has a special affinity for the wines of Italy.
41
Linda Jotham MW
A wine educator and cellar consultant to consumers and the trade, Linda became a Master of Wine in
2001, winning the prestigious Bollinger Tasting Medal and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award for the
most outstanding performance in the exams. Her trade experience includes Marketing at
Mentzendorff. She is based in south-west London.
A qualified English lawyer, Linda is also a part-time lecturer in Business Law and Practice and related
subjects at London's City University and is a graduate of Cambridge University.
Richard Kershaw MW
Born and raised in the UK, Richard enjoyed a successful career as a chef before finding wine. After
travelling extensively, he arrived in South Africa in 1999 and by 2009 was Group Winemaker of
Mulderbosch and Kanu.
Now an International Master of Wine, Richard is pursuing his dream of making his own wine under
the Kershaw label in the cool climate of Elgin in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, South
Africa. Additionally he makes a range of wines under the “Richard’s” label for the UK-based Naked
42
Wines.
Apart from making wines, Richard Kershaw has a website www.richardkershawwines.co.za and a
blogsite www.rikipedia.co which blogs about all aspects of wine and winemaking. Additionally he
writes technical blogs, is involved with lecturing for the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust)
recently set up in South Africa and is much in demand for wine show judging.
Paul Liversedge MW
Paul was first bitten by the wine bug whilst working as a dogsbody in Chateau Loudenne in the Medoc
after leaving university. He then trained as an accountant with KPMG before becoming a wine buyer
for Thresher. After seven years with Thresher he moved to Watsons Wine Cellar, Hong Kong?s leading
wine retailer, where he was promoted to General Manager. Four years later an opportunity to work as
fine wine buyer for Watsons? fine wine arm, Badaracco, tempted him to relocate to Switzerland. In
2008 he followed his heart to set up his own wine business in Zurich, selling premium New World and
French wines to trade and private customers within Switzerland (Real Wines), and sourcing and
selling fine wines internationally (Wine Cellars International).
Peter Marks MW
Consults, teaches wine classes and is a member of Society of Wine Educators. Judge at many
international wine competitions. On the Wine Education Committee and Premier Napa Valley
Steering Committee of the Napa Valley Vintners. From 2001 to 2008 was the Senior Vice President of
Wine at COPIA (American centre for Wine, Food and the Arts)in Napa. Now overseeing wine
education for Constellation Brands.
Antony Moss MW
43
Antony is the Director of Strategic Planning for the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), where
he has worked since 2004. His current role covers long-term business planning, and new product
development: this means he has been spending a great deal of time exploring breweries in Japan while
working on the development of a new WSET qualification in Japanese sake. Previously, he was
responsible for WSET’s textbooks and other education materials, and was the author of ‘Wines and
Spirits: Looking Behind the Label’ (2005, updated regularly since then and now available in 17
languages).
Antony joined the wine industry in 1998, as a part-time sales advisor for S.H. Jones in Leamington
Spa, while he was a research student. He Completed his WSET Diploma in 2003 while working for
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, and became a Master of Wine in 2011. By coincidence, he won the Austrian
Wine Marketing Board Prize for both qualifications. He is now a member of the Education Committee
for the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW), and supervises one of their two European second year
residential programs. In his spare time he is optimistically attempting to learn ‘the’ Piano Sonata in B
minor by Franz Liszt hoping to reach the last page by 2023.
Jonathan Pedley MW
Educated at the Royal Wolverhampton School and Exeter College, Oxford.
Joined Grants of St James's in 1985 as a General Management Trainee and was involved in reestablishing and ultimately the running of Grants of St James's School of Wine. Became self-employed
in 1994 and since then activities have included: Acting a wine consultant to Carlsberg. Wine Education
for companies such as Constellation, Maxxium and Waitrose. TV work for Channel 5 and SKY
business. Writing two wine books for Harper Collins. Wine Judging in Australia. Jonathan is married
with two children.
44
Arne Ronold MW
Igor Ryjenkov MW
Born in Russia, Igor has a degree in Journalism from the Moscow Institute for Foreign Relations.
Having settled in Canada in early 90s Igor spend first few years in his new country as a duty officer in
the Operations department of an aviation company, securing the overflight and landing rights for the
international relief flights. His journey in wine got started with a visit to a Niagara Peninsula area
winery in 1995. That was followed by a serious reading, tasting, traveling and studying binge, which
took him through the WSET Certificates and Diploma and straight into the MW program in 1999. His
wine study journey culminated with achieving the MW qualification in 2003, having been awarded
North American scholarship twice and Henkell-Sohnlein Award for best dissertation in the process.
He "turned pro" in 1999, having done a short part-time stint as an on-license salesman for a wine
agency, then going full time as a retail product specialist with the Ontario liquor board (LCBO). After 7
years on the front line in the two largest retail locations in Ontario, he is now in a buying position as
the European Wines Product Manager for Vintages Department (Premium Division) of the LCBO that
is responsible for over 300 mln CAD in annual sales.
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Phil Tuck MW
Having graduated from Sussex University I started in the wine trade with Avery's of Bristol in 1986.
Having worked here for probably far too long, the drive to pass the MW exams led me to work in a
number of wineries in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, California and Italy.
I eventually returned to the UK in 1993 to help establish the "New" Hatch Mansfield with Mark Calver
and Patrick McGrath MW, where I am currently the Wine Director
Cathy Van Zyl MW
I run a small public relations company specialising in the advertising and general business fields to
'fund' my wine activities. Unfortunately, this does tend to interfere with what I love doing most travelling the world's wine regions, judging wine competitions, mentoring MW students and others,
assisting to edit the Platter's South African Wine Guide, and attending wine shows.
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Mark de Vere MW
Educated at St Edward's School, Oxford and Christ Church, Oxford. Worked for Oddbins in Oxford
and Windrush Wines in Cirencester, Hungerford and Oxford. Worked in vineyards and wineries in
Australia and New Zealand for one year before joining Robert Mondavi.
Jay Youmans MW
Jay Youmans is owner of Rock Creek Wine Merchants, a sales and marketing consultancy; and
managing director of the Capital Wine School in Washington, DC, www.capitalwineschool.com. Jay
became an MW in 2004. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife and three kids.
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