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90 WA.
"The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino is a very sensual and appealing wine. It boasts a ripe and upfront style: What it gives up in typicity, it makes up for in approachability. It shows a brooding dark color, thick extraction and meaty consistency. Dusty mineral notes of terracotta and crushed granite offer a brief prelude to thicker aromas of cured meat, leather and dark fruit. There’s a good degree of succulent sweetness thanks to the abundant tones of prune and plum. The plate is richly layered and velvety . . . . Guido Andretta and Rosalba Vitanza moved from Rome years ago to follow their dream of making wine in Tuscany. Their beautiful Tenuta Vitanza is located in the Torrenieri zone, tucked away in the far northeast corner of the appellation. This area is characterized by dense clay soils and the wines made here offer a significant departure from the rest of Montalcino in terms of extra color, extract and general boldness. In fact, this departure is sometimes so great that some have questioned whether Torrenieri should be included in the appellation at all. These prejudices are ridiculous. Giving stronger identity to the individual sub-zones of Brunello di Montalcino helps to establish the stylistic versatility of Sangiovese as expressed through the strict winemaking bylaws set forth by the denomination. These “different” wines don’t take away from the prestige of Brunello, but add to it in my view." Wine Advocate #211, Feb 2014 |