Only experience is with the 2000 Poggio Lontano Brunello di Montalcino that Trader Joes sold for $20. Back then I thought I liked it (got a text message from a friend saying I should buy some…), but now I realize it was a fairly weak effort. I look forward to trying something real and strong.

I am really fond of the blind tasting. Don’t get me wrong, I trust Gary’s Pal, but I think it would be ridiculously awesome to do a couple wines gary has tasted on the show in the past, but this time bring ’em out in the brown bags. Just some food for thought!

QOTD: Haven’t had one, and won’t until I’ve got an expense account to drill into.

The three blind bags. Nice concept, and fun to watch. QOTD. My favorite brunello story? Umm…………., well……………., ah………………., I uh……………..say what?…………….

QOTD: I’ve only had one Brunello; it was this past september, my brother’s birthday, and his spouse treated the 3 of us to an incredible dinner and a kickass Brunello. I’ve never had a wine that blew me away like that one did.

Excellent show.

SotD: I don’t have one yet…

They’re still a bit out of my price range.

SOTD: I wish I had one, but not yet.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan! Hooooooooooo …. from my hometown of GLENS FALLS, NY. HOOOOOOOO!!

I recently read about the brunello controversy in Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

QOTD: I’ve had one Brunello. On a birthday I decided to buy myself a Brunello. In prior years, I had enjoyed plenty of Chianti and a few Rosso Di Montalcino. At the wine store I felt like they were judging me. They actually tried to talk me out of buying a $50 bottle of Brunello. They didn’t know I had a big ol wine storage unit at home. I had plenty of Burgundy in it but no expensive Italian wine. I bought the $50 bottle anyway. A few months later, my husband and I enjoyed it with a nice meal. I can’t remember which Brunello I bought. It was over 5 years ago.

SOTD: No stories about Brunello Di Montalcinos yet Gary. Looking forward to experiencing a true-to-form, genuine, non-New World, honest example in the near future!

QOTD: I have none. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Not a single Brunello story.

I’m thinking that I need to expand my wine cellar to have a few more Sagrantinos, Brunello, Vino Nobile di Motepulciano and so on…

I am an unfortunate for I have not a Brunello story to tell…one soon to come…

um . . . I’ve don’t have one yet?
. . .

My Brunello story is as follows. I got my fist retail wine job.. I was cleaning out a back office and stumbled on a half case of Il Poggione Brunello Di Montalcinos 1998. Someone had long forgotten about the dusty bottles, so I picked one up and brought it to a cashier and asked the price.. $14.99.. I had never had a bottle prior and from what I had read about them I was expecting a power house. That was not the case. I agree with Dr. Dan’s above comments. This was a ligt/medium bodied wine with very nice delicacy, nice fruit and a spicy nuance. I called up a specialty wine shop in town and ask how much they were selling the same bottle (yet later vintage) and it was like 65 bucks! I asked and explained to my “boss” that I’d found these and got the A-OK and bought all 6. It left me broke for a week, but I knew I was getting a bargain. I gave a few away to some of my wine friends and drank some with my wine friends. I still have one bottle left that I intend on drinking on my 35th B-Day in October. I plan on having it with lamb cooked in an Indian style. Not too spicy (the food..). Yum.

aka Mike in Nebraska

My Brunello story is as follows. I got my fist retail wine job.. I was cleaning out a back office and stumbled on a half case of Il Poggione Brunello Di Montalcinos 1998. Someone had long forgotten about the dusty bottles, so I picked one up and brought it to a cashier and asked the price.. $14.99.. I had never had a bottle prior and from what I had read about them I was expecting a power house. That was not the case. I agree with Dr. Dan’s above comments. This was a ligt/medium bodied wine with very nice delicacy, nice fruit and a spicy nuance. I called up a specialty wine shop in town and ask how much they were selling the same bottle (yet later vintage) and it was like 65 bucks! I asked and explained to my “boss” that I’d found these and got the A-OK and bought all 6. It left me broke for a week, but I knew I was getting a bargain. I gave a few away to some of my wine friends and drank some with my wine friends. I still have one bottle left that I intend on drinking on my 35th B-Day in October. I plan on having it with lamb cooked in an Indian style. Not too spicy (the food..). Yum.

aka Mike in Nebraska

I bought a large bottle (magnum?) of Brunello di Montalcino by Sugarille at a charity auction. I think it was a 1998 vintage (it’s been several years ago). I took it to the lake and my wife and sister and brother-in-law and I drank it and it was absolutely the most killer Brunello I’ve ever had! During the process of consuming the bottle and yakking the wine opened up into a magnificent silky flavo-rama that completely blew us all away. I think I paid $425 for the bottle and would gladly pay that much again, if I could find it.

I don’t have one yet GV. But I will make one happen for you!

Love the blind episodes, definitely keep them coming. I’d really love to see a double blind (i’m sure many feel the same) just to see your reactions to wines with no preconceived notions at all involved. My best story involving Brunello would probably be the time I really learned how mood and environment came effect your perception of a wine. I was at this bar owned by a fellow wine lover and we were watching the Giants Super Bowl victory and we were having a great time watching the Patriots go down. He brought me a glass of wine and I didn’t even ask what it was. It tasted like the best wine i’ve ever had in my life. It was silky smooth on the palate and gobs of ripe fruit balanced nicely with earth tones and finishing with a great spiciness. I asked him what it was and was shocked to see a label reading Col d’orcia 2000 brunello di montalcino. I had bought that same wine a few months early and absolutely hated it. Half of the bottle went down the drain. The best Brunello i’ve ever had was surprisingly a 2001 Banfi Brunello. It was the first one i’d ever had and I was amazed at the full body and silky texture which i’d never experienced in an Italian wine before. The 2001 Salicutti Rosso di Montalcino is even better than any Brunello i’ve ever tried.

I was given a ’01 Brunelli as gift last year.
Been wondering when I should open it?

I’ve had a number of brunello wines, but there’s no real story yet.

No story. But, I couldn’t resist not saying something about your charred steak comment. Wow, way to KILL the meat!!! Medium rare, and medium rare only. A hot dog, maybe charred, but steak? Wow, really shocked. Can’t wait to watch you on Rev 3!

QOTD: Had a few Brunellos–don’t remember their names, but I do know I enjoyed all of them. I’ll pay closer attention when I try some from the cellar and maybe I’ll have a story to tell.

QOTD- have ’04 La Rasina Rosso di Montalcino. Loved the wine and rarely buy a case, but bought 2. Almost gone, but for the $16 was a very good addition to the cellar.

i don’t have one yet

Qotd: Don’t have one yet……….