Wine Spectator 91 points - Blackberries and blueberries on the nose. Full-bodied, with silky and racy tannins, as well as a hint of vanilla. Long and pretty. Very clean. Needs a little time to open. Best after 2010. 6,250 cases made. –JS (Jan 1 2009)
Robert Parker 91 points - The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a big, fruit-driven wine. Made in a concentrated, opulent style, this Brunello offers tons of fruit and a round, soft personality. There isn’t too much nuance in the wine today, but that should develop in bottle. The long, polished finish invites a second taste. For now, this remains one of the more overtly fruit-forward wines of the vintage. The entry-level Brunello spends roughly 40 months in large, neutral oak. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019. (Jun 2009)
Steve Tanzer 91 points - Bright, full ruby-red, one of the darker 2004 Brunellos I’ve tasted to date. Precise aromas of cassis, licorice, bitter chocolate and nutty oak, with a suggestion of black pepper. More tangy and juicy on entry than the Tenuta Nuova and the normale, then rather imploded in the mouth, but with some mineral and floral topnotes that I don’t find today in the other wines. The most graceful and most varietally expressive of this trio, but still muscular and quite unevolved, with a powerful spine of acidity. The tannins coat the front teeth but this wine has the building sweetness to support them. This, too, will require patience and may ultimately merit an even higher score. (Jul 2009)
The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous in this vintage. Waves of dark fruit caress the palate as this juicy, delicious wine reveals its considerable charms. The fruit shows lovely weight and richness while maintaining an essentially mid-weight personality. Sweet scents of French oak linger on the round, caressing, impeccable finish. This is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade-plus. The harvest took place from the 2nd to the 5th of October. The wine spent 24 days on the skins, after which it was racked into cask, where it spent 45 months prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.
93 Points
The Wine Advocate
| Producer |
| Casanova di Neri was established in 1971 when Giovanni Neri acquired a large estate within Montalcino. In 1991, his son Giacomo took over direction of the estate and winemaking. His 138 acres are divided into four distinct areas: Pietradonice in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, Cetine in Sant’Angelo in Colle, Cerretalto
and Fiesole. . The Fiesole is the oldest vineyard due northeast of Montalcino at 862 feet. In 1986, Cerretalto was acquired – a natural amphitheatre near the Asso River at an elevation between 617 and 741 feet. The vineyard’s position to the east of Montalcino and unique terroir justify its own bottling. On the opposite side of Montalcino to the southeast, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate we find the Pietradonice vineyard, planted to Cabernet
Sauvignon. The 61 acre Cetine vineyard, faces south-southeast on a hillside near Sant’Angelo in Colle. Soil, vineyard position, microclimate, choice of clones, grafting and well-organized vineyards all combine to produce exceptional grapes. As the quality of fruit from vineyards has improved, more care and attention have also been given in the winery – from vinification, to the careful selection and use of casks of different sizes, made from different types of oak – always with the maximum respect for tradition. The winery’s Brunello production is divided between three different labels in order to best represent the estate’s unique characteristics – White Label, Tenuta Nuova and Cerretalto. Giacomo Neri and consultant Carlo Ferrini are constantly looking for ways to improve their vineyards and winemaking. Their wines are fine expressions of terroir with good structure and soft oak. |
