It's one thing to bring back a bottle of wine as a souvenir from Montalcino, and it's another to buy a case of Brunello to store away for the next five, ten or twenty years. In a vintage with the hot weather conditions of 2009 differences between Sangiovese grapes harvested and Brunello produced in Montalcino's wineries has been very marked. Many of the wines - notably the ones from the lower lying vineyards in the south west - are unlikely to last in time (but are all the more ready to be enjoyed right away).
Tim Atkin's Brunello Report is a good place to start for some advice on which wines to buy for early drinking and which ones for piling up in your cellar. I've reviewed his Brunello Special Report 2008 last year and extremely liked Tim's in-depth approach to the judging of Montalcino's wine. His Brunello reports give you the wine writer's ratings (if you are into numbers), but also a lot of background information to understand the reasons behind the scores and the history of Brunello wine.
TIM ATKIN: BRUNELLO 2009 SPECIAL REPORT
As a prolific writer and master of wine, Tim has visited Montalcino for the last twenty years for the annual Benvenuto Brunello wine fair to taste the latest vintages released and to visit the wineries in person.
WHAT ELSE?
As a prolific writer and master of wine, Tim has visited Montalcino for the last twenty years for the annual Benvenuto Brunello wine fair to taste the latest vintages released and to visit the wineries in person.
Price of the pdf download: 10£ (or 12€ / 17$)
WHAT ELSE?
- Planning to buy wines from older vintages too? Read my detailed review of Tim's special report about the 2008 Brunello vintage and 2007 Brunello Riserva.
- Watch a short interview from the Benvenuto Brunello tasting for more expert views (including Tim's) on the 2009 vintage.
- All you were looking for is a good looking vineyard? Read about my favorite ten winery visits in Montalcino.
- What to bring? Check my February in Montalcino photo guide.