Brunello Di Montalcino Tasting and Reviews

Brunello Di Montalcino Tasting and Reviews – Episode #167

January 16, 2007

Wines tasted in this episode:

Sangiovese Grasso is the grape behind this classic wine, sit back and watch as Gary Vaynerchuk tastes and review four wines score 95 or higher by the Wine Spectator.

129 Responses

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January 17, 2007

mikeyrad
Great episode, perhaps the best yet! Cierra deserves a Golden Globe! I’m also excited for the special announcement. I’m guessing that it has to do with gourmetlibrary.com. As far as Brunellos, I’ve had a few at restaurants and loved them, but was too drunk or stupid to make tasting notes or write down the name of the wine.
January 17, 2007

Michael P
That girl was soooooo cute!! GV she will def give you a run for your $$ in 10yrs.

I had a Banfi BdM. Hated it. I believe it was an ‘01. Believe it or not I may give the Pinino a whirl. Hey everyone deserves a 2nd shot right…except Merlot, dessert wines, Chards & uhhhh…uhh..mmmm did I miss anyone?
January 17, 2007

TimF
eugene — not my daughter, but whoever it was, the parent’s have quite a handful I bet! She was great!

BTW — Can somebody remind me of the name of the cheese on the episode?
January 17, 2007

JimVarney01
Never had a brunello… definitely on the list to try real soon! Thanks for the info and the episode Gary!
January 17, 2007

Rich S
Man, what a great episode!!! Brunellos are one of my favorite Italian wines along with Barolo and Amarone. It was pretty evident that Gary was really into these wines today. It also looks like the 97 pointer was pretty quick to sell out because there is none available right now through WL. That’s ok though, I need to cut back a little on the spending anyway……..

QOD: Although, I haven’t had a ton of brunellos in my life, the 1 that I think sticks out the best was a 2000 or 2001 (can’t remember the vintage) Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino. I just remember it being silky smooth and luscious and awesome. I have about 5-6 brunellos in my collection now and hope to add more……..
January 17, 2007

Tom T.
Awesome episode. Brunello’s are awesome. The little girl who impersonated you was hilarious.
Another classic WLTV episode is in the books.
January 17, 2007

eugene
Great episode, thanks Gary!

Intro is fantastic but who gets the credit? Is this TimFâ€™s daughter?

QOTD:

I am yet to discover my favorite brunello.

They so damn expensive and I always feel reluctant to spend money on Italian wines. I have no problem paying for Bordeaux, Champagne or Rioja but I made a conscious decision not to buy any Italian wines unless I taste them or theyâ€™re recommended to me by someone whose palate I can trust.

In my experiments with Italian wines I had more misses than hits. As this episode shows many of them are grossly overpriced.

Now that Pinino entices me.

PS: Love the cheese pairings. Please bring more of this stuf!
January 17, 2007

rino70
good show g,
love sangiovese in general, they’re great wines to drink with food. I like many italian sangio’s from all over the boot, tuscany, abruzzo and molise
california has its own expression of the grape and i like to try differant wines in the domestic style. sonoma, mendocino and central coast wineries produce clean wines with bright fruit and crisp acidity. freemark abbey had a memorable sangio in 1999, but my favotite has been an ortman family sangio that they produce in small quantity over the last few years in san luis obispo county.
as far as my limited experiance with brunello di montalcino goes my bro-in-law cracked open a biondi-santi brunello di montalcino 1996 over christmas, and though old school, i liked the flavors coming through, earth, mushroom and sour cherry fruit with gripping sometimes bitter tannins.
by the way have you posted any results of oak monster submission from last month. i have one that i cant help thinking of when i taste extreme wood in my wine.
peace
January 17, 2007

Leonard deOliveira
QOTD –97 and the 2001 Casanova di Neri Tenuta Nuova outstanding! Great episode…One of the best.
January 17, 2007

David Canada
WOW!!! Gotta tell you Gary. YOu rocked this one! THis is definetly top three so far.
QOTD – 1997 Altesino Brunello. Very nice!
January 17, 2007

Dom Nicoletta
Nice Gary!!!! I have fallen in love with Brunello. Ever since the vintage was scored so high I have been picking up different producers I could afford and one that I couldn’t. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the wine of the year- Casanova Di Neri Tenuta Nuova. I opened and shared it with family on Christmas eve. Unbelievable!!!! The nose was so warm and delicious(that is the best way to describe it. Great mouth feel, long finish, definitely old world, but lush fruit is definitelt there. I can’t wait to open another in a few years!!
January 17, 2007

Lynne
Doc, your little girl is a natural! Perhaps our youngest “speaking” Vayniac? ( Not to exclude Kahuna’s “little kahuna”)

QOD: I’ve never had a Brunello. Thought they were too expensive to take the risk and my tastes don’t always agree w/ the critics. Based on GaryV’s tantalizing descriptions, (and GV, you haven’t steered me wrong yet) I know I will soon stuff another case in my cart. There goes my ‘07 resolution of one order per month. I knew I was being too hard on myself; maybe I can limit it to two.
January 17, 2007

thomas korent
My favourite Brunello (and I haven’t had so many this far, because I’m only a student and these wines are rather pricey) was a 1995 cantina di montalcino from canalicchio di sopra, if I remember correctly. I was astonished by the nose of a 1997 poggio all’oro riserva from a Magnum bottle (banfi is the producer), but the taste was not really my thing. Then I have to admit that the bottle had spent a couple of years on a yacht with rather hot summers and no proper storing ambiente…so I guess it is hard to say. Having said that, I have tasted quite a few Brunellos that were absolutely nothing special, but were very expensive anyway (Gary sort of explained why), so I’m rather caucious when it comes to buying or ordering Brunelli.
January 17, 2007

Mark
Never had the pleasure of tasting a brunello … will seek one out now!
January 17, 2007

Pete C
Had the La Rasina Rosso Di Montalcino which was a terrific wine at under $17/bottle.
January 17, 2007

cpd
For chri-eye, I’ve spent $2,000 since October and am not even close to being through half of the Stag’s Leap district. How in the world can you try so many great wines from so many great regions? (And still make it to work, that is)
January 17, 2007

Nico
Gary, s p e c t a c u l a r ! ! !

I’ve been researching Brunello di Montalcino ever since WS awarded 2001 Casanova de Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova as wine of the year. While I can’t afford the current list price for that bottle, I’ve grabbed a few 2001 Brunellos just to get a taste of the vintage, and I CAVED tonight with your display for the 2001 Pinino.

QOTD: So far, I’ve had 2 Brunellos: 2001 Casisano Colombaio Brunello di Montalcino and the 2001 Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino – both very decent, and I did notice the high acidity. I think a definite food wines.

great show!!!
-Nico
January 17, 2007

scotty
Gary-as always a great show. My favorite Brunello was and still is the 97 pian delle vigne-my wife and I had our first two bottles in a trattoria in florence a few years ago. When we got back I could not find it anywhere,three months later i saw it at auction and payed more than i should have. I love that wine but as we always say:it’s the bottle; the people and the place. The wine gets opened every year around the time we went to Italy and tastes great yet I know It will never taste as great as it did that first time.
January 17, 2007

glenn
the Biondi Santi might have been a 90 now that i think about it.
January 17, 2007

glenn
1997 Biondi Santi @ a dinner in LA a few years ago.

have a 1/2 dozen 01 Argiano in the cellar and 1/2 dozen Ciacci Piccolomin d’Aragona from the same vintage.

truthfully now, do i need 6 bottles of 01 Pinino?
January 16, 2007

chito
!Great episode!!! Had to show it to my daughter. Some classic lines as well, “Wine is the experience”. Could not agree with you more. The combo with cheese was great. I am a big fan of Brunello’s but have bought more to lay down than to drink. I will certainly see if any of the wines featured are available and will buy some to drink now. Cannot thank you enough. LOTTA YOU WITH LITTLE ELSE IS ROCKING THE WINE WORLD!!!
January 16, 2007

Riezin
QOTD: Montecarbello 2000. Special because I drank it at a restaurant just outside of Montalcino on my honeymoon. Extra special cause its crazy how cheap Brunello is over there. Also Piancornello 2001. Tasted it in Montalcino proper and brought another bottle back. I also drank the Valdicava 2002. They didnt actually make their Brunello that year cause of the vintage so they declassified the grapes and called it Rosso. But all the fruit was from their regular brunello vines.
January 16, 2007

EJ
looking forward to trying the panini as my first BdM. BTW- can we list the cheese underneath the wines tasted?

great episode!
January 16, 2007

Eric Opheim
QOTD: I haven’t had a Brunello yet, but after today’s episode I will have to try and find a good one.

So now that the Jets season is over, what do we have to look forward to? A NETS playoff beard?
January 16, 2007

Mike W.
Gary,

As Edward G. Robinson might have said as Lancy Howard in the Cincinnati Kid (circa 1965), “You’re good kid, but as long as [that little girl] is in town…you’re only 2nd best”. You’re still THE MAN! IMHO, buddy. But a word of advice: If I were you, I’d limit this talented young lady’s exposure on your website, else we might be watching her wine reviews in the not too distant future. Thus, perhaps reinforcing General Patton’s fear in your mind and heart…that all glory is fleeting.

MLW