Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most famous wines of Italy. Known everywhere in the world, this great wine is produced at Montalcino - in the province of Siena, in Tuscany - and it is obtained from Sangiovese Grosso, a grape locally called Brunello which also gives the name to the wine. Typical grape in Montalcino, it gets the name Brunello (literally, “brownish”) because of the dark color of its berries, having a bigger size than the ones of the more common Sangiovese grape. Despite its prestige and notoriety, Brunello di Montalcino has a pretty recent history. The path of this wine upwards the top of the enological Olympus begins in fact around 1870, when Ferruccio Biondi Santi decides to resume and complete the studies and experiments his grandfather Clemente achieved in “Il Greppo” family estate. At those times Brunello grape was not particularly famous, although it was mentioned in many documents, some of them dated back to the 1500s, in which were praised the enological qualities of this grape.

 The first important results obtained by Ferruccio Biondi Santi arrived in 1880. It was the beginning of a new era for Brunello di Montalcino and, with it, for Tuscan enology as well. From that moment on, Brunello di Montalcino - taking advantage of Ferruccio Biondi Santi's tenacity and results and then of his son Tancredi - begins its unstoppable climb, becoming in a short period of time one of the most representative wines of Italian enology in the world: a prestige which is still today unaltered and growing. The example of Ferruccio Biondi Santi was then followed by other local producers, therefore contributing to the improvement of Brunello di Montalcino's quality. In fact, there are many producers who are involved in the production of this prestigious wine, not only wineries having a prestigious history, but also new ones which significantly contributed to the recent history of Brunello di Montalcino.

 Brunello di Montalcino is produced with Sangiovese Grosso grape, locally known as Brunello. Sangiovese Grosso has a higher coloring capability than the more common Sangiovese Piccolo, however lower than other red berried grapes, such as Merlot or Sagrantino. Despite its average coloring capability, Sangiovese Grosso however has a quantity of polyphenolic substances such to make wines with a remarkable robust structure, such as in the case of Brunello di Montalcino. In this wine the structure is also increased by the aging in cask, which must be at least three years long, made both in large casks as well as in the barrique, of any volume. Thanks to its characteristics, Brunello di Montalcino has a pretty long life which can also last tens of years in case the bottle is kept in optimal conditions.

	The three Brunello di Montalcino wines of our comparative tasting

 For our comparative tasting we chose three Brunello di Montalcino wines produced with three different aging times and techniques. Two of these wines are in fact aged in cask, whereas for the third one, the producer chose the barrique. One of the goals of our comparative tasting - besides the study of Brunello di Montalcino's organoleptic qualities - is also the study of the influence of wood in this wine. The first selected wine is Lisini's Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia, aged for 36 months in cask. The second wine is Mastrojanni's Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino, also in this case aged in cask although for a longer time: 42 months. The third wine of the comparative tasting is Casanova di Neri's Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto, the only one of the three to be aged in barrique for 27 months. The three wines will be tasted at the temperature of 18° C (65° F), and will be poured - as usual - in three ISO tasting glasses.

 Sangiovese Grosso, the grape used for the production of Brunello di Montalcino, does not have a high coloring capability, certainly lower than Sangiovese Piccolo, that is the most common variety of this grape. It should however be noticed the color of a wine, besides the coloring capability of a grape, also depends on the cultivation methods and qualities - lower the yield, higher the concentration of color - as well as by the vinification techniques. Transparency in Brunello di Montalcino is pretty varied. It can be in fact noticed wines with a pretty low transparency as well as wines with a higher transparency, also in this case depending on the way grapes are being cultivated and vinified. During its youth, this wine shows an evident intense and brilliant ruby red color, therefore becoming garnet red after few years, a color which can also be observed in nuances during the first years of evolution. Thanks to its very good aging potentialities in bottle, as time goes by, Brunello di Montalcino gets a brick red color, a hue which can also be observed in nuances.

 We will begin the appearance analysis from Lisini's Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia. By holding the glass tilted on a white surface, such as a sheet of paper or a tablecloth, we will observe both the color and transparency at the base of the glass. The color of this first wine is brilliant ruby red with a pretty low transparency. By observing the edge of the liquid mass, towards the opening of the glass, we will appreciate the color of nuances, in this case being garnet red. Let's now pass to the evaluation of the second wine: Mastrojanni's Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino. The color of this second Brunello is brilliant ruby red with nuances of garnet red - similar to the previous wine - and, by placing an object, or simply a finger, behind the glass, we will observe a pretty low transparency. Let's now pass to the third wine of our comparative tasting: Casanova di Neri's Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto. The color of this third wine is not so different from the previous ones: also in this case it is possible to observe an intense ruby red color and nuances of garnet red, with a pretty low transparency.

 Thanks to the long period of aging defined by the production disciplinary, Brunello di Montalcino is a wine usually offering an interesting sensorial experience to the nose of the taster. The olfactory profile of Brunello di Montalcino is not only the consequence of the aging in cask - rarely the barrique - but also of the specific and typical qualities of Sangiovese Grosso. To the nose, Brunello di Montalcino can in fact offer pleasing and interesting aromas of fruit and flowers - in particular black cherry, plum and violet - which are followed by more complex aromas produced by time and aging in wood and then in bottle. The type of wood container used for aging - as well as time - will give Brunello di Montalcino spicy and toasted aromas, including the typical hints of vanilla, licorice, cinnamon, mace, black pepper, cocoa, chocolate and coffee, as well as balsamic aromas of menthol and eucalyptus. Thanks to its very good capability of aging, after many years will be perceived pretty complex aromas such as tar, leather and game.

 The first wine we will consider in the olfactory evaluation is Lisini's Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia, aged in cask for 26 months. By holding the glass in vertical position and without swirling, we will proceed with the first smell in order to appreciate opening aromas, that is “lighter” aromas requiring a small quantity of oxygen in order to volatilize. From the glass will be perceived, intense and clean, aromas of violet and black cherry: a very typical opening for Sangiovese Grosso and Brunello di Montalcino. After having swirled the glass, in order to favor the volatilization of “heavier” aromatic substances, that is the ones requiring a higher quantity of oxygen to volatilize, we will proceed with the second smell, therefore completing the olfactory profile for this wine. From the glass will be possible to perceive an excellent sequence of aromas of plum - another typical aroma in this wine - blueberry and blackberry, followed by aromas of vanilla, tobacco, licorice, mace, cocoa and pleasing balsamic hints of menthol to which is added the complex hint of leather.

 Let's now pass to the evaluation of the second wine: Mastrojanni's Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino, aged in cask, like the previous wine, although for a longer period of 42 months. The opening of this Brunello di Montalcino denotes intense and elegant aromas of black cherry, plum and blackberry, also in this case being very typical in Sangiovese Grosso, in particular black cherry and plum. After having swirled the glass, we will proceed with the second smell which will allow the perception of the aromas of violet, rose and blueberry, followed by spicy aromas of cinnamon, pink pepper and vanilla, as well as tobacco and pleasing balsamic hints of menthol. Also the opening of the third wine of our comparative tasting - Casanova di Neri's Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto, aged in barrique for 26 months - reveals the typical aromas of plum, black cherry and blackberry, to which follow, after having swirled the glass, intense and clean aromas of violet, blueberry, vanilla, tobacco, cocoa, licorice, mace, coffee, clover and a pleasing balsamic hint of menthol. It is interesting to compare the difference in the three wines according to the aging time and, in particular, the differences given by the aging in cask and in barrique.

 Brunello di Montalcino is a wine which usually impresses the taster not only for its elegance, but also for its full body. The structure of Brunello di Montalcino is not determined by Sangiovese Grosso grape only, but also by the long time of aging which - according to the production disciplinary - must be of at least three years in casks of any volume. Another organoleptic characteristic of Sangiovese Grosso is represented by the appreciable crispness, also found in Brunello di Montalcino, and that has its balance both in the effects of the aging in cask as well as in the effects of alcohol, which is this wine is usually higher than 13% in volume. The attack of Brunello di Montalcino is therefore characterized by a remarkable structure and by the burning sensation produced by alcohol, usually followed by a pleasing crispness, more or less evident according to the production and aging technique used for the wine. Persistence in Brunello di Montalcino is usually very long, most of the times having very long finishes of more than 12 seconds.

 We will begin the gustatory evaluation from Lisini's Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia. The attack is characterized by the typical robust structure, as well as an appreciable astringency, well balanced by alcohol. It should be noticed the pleasing roundness, given by the aging in wood, as well as a pleasing crispness which - despite it is not so evident - is however well perceptible and balanced. Let's now pass to Mastrojanni's Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino which, like the previous wine, is characterized by an attack with a remarkable structure and astringency, also in this case well balanced by alcohol, crispness and a pleasing roundness. Also the attack of the third wine - Casanova di Neri's Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto di Casanova - is characterized by a remarkable structure as well as an appreciable astringency, well balanced by alcohol and by a pleasing roundness. Also in this wine is possible to perceive the typical crispness of Sangiovese Grosso. It should also be noticed the excellent correspondence to the nose of the three wines, in particular the flavors of black cherry and plum.

 One of quality characteristics of Brunello di Montalcino is represented by a good, most of the times very long, taste-olfactory persistence. The finish of Lisini's Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia is very persistent,leaving in the mouth long and clean flavors of black cherry, plum and blueberry, a finish which can be considered, together with blackberry, typical in Brunello di Montalcino. Also the finish of Mastrojanni's Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiena d'Asino is very persistent, leaving in the mouth long flavors of black cherry, plum and blackberry, very elegant and clean. The finish of the third wine - Casanova di Neri's Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto - is very persistent and very similar to the previous one, with long flavors of black cherry, plum and blackberry, also in this case of remarkable elegance and finesse. If should be noticed the perception of the structure and crispness in these three wines, also after they have been swallowed and how these sensations are perfectly balanced by the aromas found both in the mouth and in the nose.