1 magnum per lot
Details
Italy is a place rich in history and historical objects. Wine, being an important and ancient part of the culture of the Italian Peninsula, is thus no different. Having come into production just over one hundred years ago, Brunello di Montalcino is something of an exception to this. Brunello di Montalcino is produced from one hundred percent Brunello grapes on the hills surrounding the Tuscan town of Montalcino south of Siena. The Brunello grape is actually a clone of the Sangiovese grape called 'Sangiovese Grosso', and was given it's name as a result of the slightly brown color of the grapes-bruna means 'brown' in Italian.
Brunello di Montalcino was 'invented', if one can use that word in this context, in the years 1800-1888 by Ferrucio Biondi-Santi whose family continues to produce Brunello. He isolated the Brunello clone and developed a production method whereby the wines spent four years in oak casks before they were bottled. After bottling they then spent two years in the bottle before commercial release. Brunello di Montalcino was given the prestigious DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status-the DOC and DOCG laws are a strict set of laws dictating production methods and are intended to insure quality-in 1980. The DOCG mandates that the wine spend three and a half years in oak casks or barrels and one year in the bottle before release, while the Riserva bottlings must spend five years in the cask or barrel. The time in cask for non-Riserva wines has since been reduced to three years. Whether or not the quality of Brunello is guaranteed by the DOCG is a matter for debate, but that it is one of Italy's greatest wines and one the great wines of the world is not.
There are unique occurrences when events happen exactly as one would want them to, almost as if they had been scripted. The 1990 vintage in Montalcino was such an occurrence. A dry winter was followed by normal spring precipitation. Summer was hot and dry until the end of July and the beginning of August when much needed rains arrived. Harvesting then took place early. Hence, near perfect conditions prevailed from which like quality wines were produced.
Given the small size of the growing area of Montalcino-in 1990 only 850 planted hectares could produce Brunello di Montalcino-and the demand for the vintage both by consumers and collectors alike, these wines are today quite rare. Zachys/Christie's is thus very excited to have the opportunity to offer this impressive array of wines from the 1990 vintage, which includes many of the finest producers. Not only will these wines provide excellent drinking for years to come, they will likewise provide years of interesting comparisons with the newly released 1995 vintage as well as the anticipated 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 vintages.
Trockenbeerenauslese
Brunello di Montalcino, "Montosoli"--Vintage 1990
Tuscany, Altesino
Parcel: lots 706-707
personality." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue 104, 4/26/96
1 magnum per lot
Brunello di Montalcino was 'invented', if one can use that word in this context, in the years 1800-1888 by Ferrucio Biondi-Santi whose family continues to produce Brunello. He isolated the Brunello clone and developed a production method whereby the wines spent four years in oak casks before they were bottled. After bottling they then spent two years in the bottle before commercial release. Brunello di Montalcino was given the prestigious DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status-the DOC and DOCG laws are a strict set of laws dictating production methods and are intended to insure quality-in 1980. The DOCG mandates that the wine spend three and a half years in oak casks or barrels and one year in the bottle before release, while the Riserva bottlings must spend five years in the cask or barrel. The time in cask for non-Riserva wines has since been reduced to three years. Whether or not the quality of Brunello is guaranteed by the DOCG is a matter for debate, but that it is one of Italy's greatest wines and one the great wines of the world is not.
There are unique occurrences when events happen exactly as one would want them to, almost as if they had been scripted. The 1990 vintage in Montalcino was such an occurrence. A dry winter was followed by normal spring precipitation. Summer was hot and dry until the end of July and the beginning of August when much needed rains arrived. Harvesting then took place early. Hence, near perfect conditions prevailed from which like quality wines were produced.
Given the small size of the growing area of Montalcino-in 1990 only 850 planted hectares could produce Brunello di Montalcino-and the demand for the vintage both by consumers and collectors alike, these wines are today quite rare. Zachys/Christie's is thus very excited to have the opportunity to offer this impressive array of wines from the 1990 vintage, which includes many of the finest producers. Not only will these wines provide excellent drinking for years to come, they will likewise provide years of interesting comparisons with the newly released 1995 vintage as well as the anticipated 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 vintages.
Trockenbeerenauslese
Brunello di Montalcino, "Montosoli"--Vintage 1990
Tuscany, Altesino
Parcel: lots 706-707
personality." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue 104, 4/26/96
1 magnum per lot