How time has flown. A month and half it has been now since this special dinner with my fellow Italophile and wine drinking buddy par excellence. It was time at last to bring out one of my precious 1997 Brunellos, and my friend brought along a 2001 he picked up in Italy. I kept the menu simple, just some very nice spaghetti with meatballs, to let the wines shine. Lord, but I do love my Brunello! And I think Poggio Salvi may now be my favorite producer. Incidentally, Poggio Salvi is owned by Biondi-Santi, and can be considered a "modern style arm" of that highly traditional house.
Villa Poggio Salvi, Brunello di Montalcino 1997
From my cellar, in fact the very first serious cellar purchase I made (in 2003), and so a bottle opened with great anticipation. How happy a thing for it to be as special a wine as I hoped it would be. Dark garnet, with a slight hint of brown. I'm at a loss for words that do the nose justice: very deep, heady, lucious, aromatic, beautiful, with dark red fruits, citrus peel, dried fruits, roses/violets, herbs, and earth, and possesing an essence of Montalcino so pure, expressive, and potent that it could have been instantly called blind. On the palate, black cherry, raspberry, roses and violets, citrus peel, raisens/dried fruits (providing nice richness and complexity), hint of tobacco, touch of pungent herbs, chocolate, and a touch of earth. Needs substantial time in the glass to fully reveal itself (particularly on the finish). A high quality Brunello, and for me, a taste of heaven. Approaching full maturity but still showing a bit of youth, with 8 - 10 strong years ahead, and may last beyond that. A special wine. Exceptional/Extraordinary (92 - 94) [3/13/10]
Camigliano, Brunello di Montalcino 2001
Medium-dark ruby. Excellent nose. Cherry, raspberry, tart red fruit, a faint hint of floral notes, citrus peeel, coffee, tabacco, hint herbs, and earth. Excellent at first, but declines a bit in the glass. Another 5 - 10 years at most. Exceptional (90 - 93). [3/13/10]
Afterwards a simple desert of mascarpone-filled figs, with a value-priced Eiswein I'll post about later.