Brunello di Montalcino La Togata - Italië (rood)

Brunello di Montalcino La Togata - Italië (rood)

Druif: 100% Sangiovese Grosso

Samen met Barolo en Amarone behoort tot Brunello di Montalcino tot de absolute top van Italië. Brunello di Montalcino rijpt wettelijk verplicht minstens 4 jaar, waarvan tenminste 2 jaar op hout. In het geval van La Togata rijpt de wijn nog langer op hout: 36 maanden op Slavonisch eiken, waarna 12 maand op fles. Hij is robijnrood van kleur, intens, vol, krachtig en warm. Je proeft zwarte bessen, kersen, specerijen en vanille. Een geweldige wijn met veel lengte en een prachtige balans.

Schenk hem bij ossobuco, aubergines, pasta's met truffel,... Decanteren is een goede optie. Maar een half uur van tevoren openen is ook prima.

La Togata is een klein familiaal wijndomein vlakbij Montalcino, gevestigd in een 16de eeuwse boerderij. De wijngaarden bevinden zich in Albo in de regio van Pieve, S. Sigismondo, Montosoli and Pietrafocaia. De wijngaarden bevinden zich op verschillende niveaus, en hebben de hele dag zonlicht. De wijnstokken zijn meer dan 20 jaar oud.

92 Points, James Suckling: ""A medium-to full-bodied red with fine tannins, pretty fruit and minty undertones. Impressive length and balance. Drink now."" 11/16."

Wie houdt van Brunello zit goed met de 2012 jaargang, bekijk zeker de opmerkingen hierover van James Suckling:

"Fans of Brunello di Montalcino are in for a treat with the 2012 vintage. I tasted about 100 wines in October in a blind tasting in Tuscany and was impressed with their beautiful aromas, vibrant fruit, lively acidity, and ultra-fine tannins. These sangioveses are much more precise and finer than the bolder and riper 2011s. They have more in common with the legendary 2010 vintage and are most like the 2004s, a harmonious and gorgeous year for Brunellos.

Just to show how much better the 2012 vintage is, I rated 26 bottles 95 points or more compared to only eight 2011s. I’ve still got another 100 bottles of the 2012s to taste in January when I return to Tuscany.  “I am really, really happy with the quality,” said one of Italy’s leading consulting enologist Carolo Ferrini, who also makes his own tiny and excellent quality Brunello, Giodo. “The wines are superior to 2011.”

It is interesting to note that 2012 was just as hot of a growing season as it was in 2011. The summer had continuous heat spikes, well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe Brunello producers better understood this time how to handle their grapes, as the 2012s didn’t have the cooked fruit and high alcohol characteristics that plagued many 2011s. “We picked almost a week earlier than normal, and this helped maintain the aromas and freshness in the wine from the good acidity,” added Ferrini.

Indeed, that’s what I love about the 2012 Brunellos I’ve tasted so far. They show beautiful perfumes of ripe fruit and hints of earth with a mandarin and orange highlight. The palates are rich and dense, with an underlying crispness and linear thread from start to finish. “Of course, the 2012s are not the same quality as the 2010s, but they are very, very beautiful wines,” added Vincenzo Abbruzzese, the owner of Valdicava. “The really great vintage is still to come, 2013 or 2015.” —James Suckling, CEO/Editor"