An Italian Brunello Blind Tasting, Brown Bags And Fun!

An Italian Brunello Blind Tasting, Brown Bags And Fun! – Episode #487

June 17, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk tries 3 Brunello wines from Italy, The Brunello Di Di Montalcino wines are some of the most Sought after in the world!

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“Loved it, i am a huge fan of tuscany, brunello especially. couldn’t a…” by Andrew
“Im down with the Iron Shiek. Poor guy has gone absolutely bat— craz…” by Dessert Wine Nerd
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Wines tasted in this episode:

2001 Ruffino Brunello Di Montalcino Greppone MazziBrunello di Montalcino
2003 Fanti Brunello Di MontalcinoBrunello di Montalcino
2003 La Rasina Brunello Di MontalcinoBrunello di Montalcino

Links mentioned in todays episode.

217 Responses

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June 18, 2008

John Blue Label
Nice Episode GV,
Bye the way, the 97 point Brunello you spoke of was 2001 Pinino. It is really good, and was at a nice price point.
SOTD: I had a special guest over my house (President of my alma mater, Siena College: Go Saints) and I broke out a bottle of the WS WOTR 2006: Casanova di Neri Brunello 2001 to go with the Italian feast I had planned. It did not disappoint. What an elegant, beautiful wine. It was so smooth and well structured, and I don’t even think it is done evolving. Well, needless to say, he was impressed. Followed that up with some Masi 1999 Amarone. Wow, talk about good juice!
John Blue Label
June 18, 2008

Zk
QOTD: Don’t have one yet, and I’m not rollin’ that deep so it may be awhile before I get one…
June 18, 2008

PaVo
Not a lurker but Am still waiting for my best brunello story as I’ve never had one. Stupid weak dollar and expensive wines!
June 18, 2008

Ariel
My sister was living in a small town in the province of Lucca. I visited and we traveled down to Montalcino. It was a cold day in March of 2003. There weren’t that many people around. Many places were closed. We ate at a small place then wandered over to a little enoteca that was open. I don’t pretend to know much about wine, but it was a unique experience. I still have a bottle of a 96 and a 94. I do not know the name only that it has a big, serif V on the label. I romance the idea of opening it with ever changing criteria.
June 18, 2008

Cliff Starr
Also any recommendations for other wines that are a little harded to come by in Pa that i might enjoy?
June 18, 2008

Cliff Starr
I’d love to have a story, and plan you have one soon… Just one thing… Any recommendations for my first Brunello? One of my favorites right now is Greco di Tufo… Not a red, I know, but I do like a lot of earthy reds aswell… So…Any ideas?

And while I’m asking, Any recommended Greco di Tufos out there? I live in Pa and its not always easy to get a large variety of wines… So when I do get ahold of wine I’d like to know if it might be a recommended one, just to compare it to my tastes and see what I think against some others. So that I could find a person in the wine world that I might have similar tastes with to see what else I might like…any help would be awsome… I’m new to wine and well…I just wanna know more!!!
June 18, 2008

Edmond
Haven’t got any Brunello stories yet man… I’m taking my vacation soon, so I’ll try to get out and find a bottle or two!
June 18, 2008

Augustus
Stumbled upon a 20 dollar Brunello, that’s right, just twenty bones that was really quite good. Four years in oak, the whole nine yards.
June 18, 2008

Nick G
I don’t really have a Brunello Story. But I am the wine guy at the store I am working at and am very disappointed that we don’t have any Brunellos. Although I will be bringing some in very soon. Unfortunately, they tend to fall into a price point that most consumers can’t afford.
June 18, 2008

Zach
It seemed like you didn’t like wine #1 very much but you gave it 89+ pts?

QOTD: Our only Brunello experience was a 10 wine tasting (mostly 2003’s) at a great local wine store. Unfortunately we were underwhelmed. The wines were quite tannic and many had strong tomato flavors, which doesn’t suit our palates. Not to mention the prices We’re looking forward to our first “ah-ha” Brunello…
June 18, 2008

Cuse Wino
QOTD- I was in Italy last summer and I set up a winery tour at Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona near Montalcino. A friend said they made great wine and they were great people. He was right on both accounts. Their 2001 Brunello had gotten like a 95 WS and it was sold out when I got there, but their Riserva got 97 and I have three precious ones in my cellar. Have picked up a couple regulars and the five of them are waiting to be drunk- hopefully I can wait! Beautiful place and really good wines. Their Fabius Syrah is to die for and their Rosso is very good as well. Look them up if you are in the area- Ask for Angela.
June 18, 2008

James
I bought a couple brunello’s from Trader Joes cause dude-buddy-guy in the Hawaiian shirt said it was a steal… haven’t drank them yet… I feel like I should make a meal for it.
June 18, 2008

JeffC
QOTD: 50th Birthday, splurged on 97 Valdicava. Very nice, very pricey. Have had 99 Brunello from Sesti Vinyards and thought it was very good. As a general rule Brunello’s hit the wallet too hard. I go for the Rossos for Montelcino pleasure. How about a head to head from same vinyards. Brunello vs Rosso??? Would be interesting.

Thanks great show. Love the Italian wines.
June 18, 2008

M. Nurn
SOTD: Sorry to say, but I do not have a Brunello story YET. I’ll have to go out and get one, perhaps this afternoon even. And THEN I will have a story to tell.

Also, I will go garage sale shopping to look for wrestlers. I am going to my parent’s house for the 4th, and I’m pretty sure that we have some old wrestlers around the house somewhere. I’m on the lookout for ya Gary!

In the next show, could you give a suggestion(s) for wine tasting themes? I’m putting one together for my friends, and I’m not exactly sure as to what I want to do. It doesn’t have to be a intense, drawn-out explanation, but just something quick that would be fun to do. Thanks, keep bringing the thunder!
June 18, 2008

LauraG
Why did you say Ian screwed you? I don’t get it…

My best Brunello story is bringing a 1995 back from my Tuscan honeymoon in 2000 and holding it almost 5 more years, only to have my then 14 year old stepdaughter break into my cellar and chug it with one of her friends about 2 months ahead of the anniversary I was saving it for. Didn’t say it was a HAPPY story… in fact, it really sucked. Bad.
June 18, 2008

George
No Brunello, but I had a great 2000 Haut-Medoc last week.
June 18, 2008

wayno da wino
Yo Gee, Fuuun Episode !! Moochoo Thanx !!

QOTD: Don’t got NO “Brunello Stories”…….. Think i’ve had maybe ONE
Brunello in me Lifetime…….. Got some catchin’ up to do……..
June 18, 2008

W Miree
Man, do I agree with you that some Brunellos (and Piedmente red wines) in the last few years (5-7 years of releases)have too much oak. My rule of thumb is that if the oak is obvious, it is too much. Barolo has been doing the same thing, but in the last two vintages has noticeably pulled back to a very enticing blend of “New World” and “Traditional” vintification approaches. The 2004 Barolos are among the best I have ever tasted. The Modernists in Brunello have further to go to get to a balance I enjoy, but there are signs of progress in that direction. Fanti is definitely one that needs more progress. I just hate to see such good grapes, and otherwise such good vinification techniques, be corrupted by so much oak that the the classic characteristics of a wine are simply covered up.

QOTD: My greatest revelation is that there is a trend in Brunello and Barolo to “get the right balance” between Modernists and Traditionalists. The ones that have done this are making the best wines in the world for my tastes.
June 18, 2008

Lars
Nice show !!!!

When are you going to talk about Wineinvestment in generel !!
June 18, 2008

dafo
None yet.
June 18, 2008

Alfredhayes
QOTD: I haven’t had one yet.

Great show
June 18, 2008

pawncop
Good show.

I do not have one yet.
June 18, 2008

Phil G
QOTD – A few years ago I was able to do some traveling in Tuscany, and some friends at a local win store hooked me up with an ‘insiders’ tour of one of the vineyards. It was a pretty awesome experience to walk through the vines and the wine making facility… good times. Getting to taste some good stuff afterwards was also nice.
June 18, 2008

Nico
Don’t drink Brunello, usually bit pricey for the quality.

Also, gee, look at the episode: one great wine, one OK, one not OK… For $50-$60 a bottle? Too much variability at that price point, it requires too much work and too much money (bit like Burgundies)…

That being said, will go get a bottle of la Rasina 2003.
June 18, 2008

ex-lurkdawg
My favorite Brunello experience is not much of a story. It was the first time I tried Brunello and the first time I spent over $50 on a bottle of wine. I fell in love. The many earthy characteristics, the power and elegance … I’ve had a few since then and Brunello is my favorite category of wine.