I am going to be in Roma and Pienza in late February. I think the 99 Brunello might be coming out around this time? I am looking for a place to buy a few bottles at reasonable price. The Brunellos cost a fortune in the US so perhaps they are more affordable in Italy?
If you are in Pienza.. you will be right around the corner from Montalcino! Go to the source. Dean has put his favorite shops on ST before, but there are several shops right downtown in Montalcino! Bring you wine suitcase!
Pricing will be tricky for the 99 Brunellos. If the importer locked his euro in at a bettter price, there might not be any difference in price between US and European sources. Zachy's was offering futures on Brunello 99 for $50 to $60 a bottle for good bottlings: Pertimali, Ciacci Piccolomoni, Lisini, Uccelleira which constitute a pretty good shopping list. But Zachy's is very high on shipping. Do your homework first.
For places to buy:
Montalcino- Pier Angolini on Piazza del Popolo. They participate in Tax Free and will give you a checkable styrofoam box with a goodly purchase.
Bruno Dalmazio just outside the lower gate to Montalcino. You pass them if you are arriving from the SS2 via Buonconvento or Torreneirri.
Osticcio in MOntalcino proper. You can munch on a plate of Cinta Cinese, have a 4 brunello tasting and enjoy the view while looking over their selection.
Enotecca Franci and the Fortezza. Under the same ownership. Good selection.
Comparison shop. I have never found any of the three to be consistently cheaper.
In Monteriggioni- Terre di Siena has a great wine selection, small but superbly chosen. Their recommendations can be taken seriously. Wonderful selection of wines from Scansano and the Maremma, olive oils, cheeses etc.
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4614 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
Dean - what star rating did the '99 get (or will get shortly).
My first visit to Montalcino was the year of the '97, which has spoiled me for earlier and subsequent years.
Agree with all of Dean's recommendations and I too have not found a consistently less expensive supply. I have received "discounts" however as my friendship with various enotecca owners has increased.
Dan, Athens, Georgia
Posts: 202 | Location: Athens, GA | Registered: 14 April 2002
Thanks for the reply, Diva and Dean. How long a drive will it be from Pienza to Montalcino? I'm only going to be in Pienza for a few hours to scout out some rental locations.
quote:Originally posted by Dan: Dean - what star rating did the '99 get (or will get shortly).
4 stars but so did 2001 which may wind up being better than the 97's as a group. 99 is dark and brooding, 97 is bright and racy, 2001 is in the middle with loads of spice. I think all three will wind up being better than the 95's which are also a 5 star vintage.
quote: My first visit to Montalcino was the year of the '97, which has spoiled me for earlier and subsequent years.
97 is an outlier vintage. It is in no way typical of Brunello. It is to Brunello what 45 and 61 were to Bordeaux, 74 was to Napa Cabernet. They are ultra ripe yet balanced wines. They have their place but so do other vintages. And there was a huge amount of mediocre wine made in 97. But there was a huge amount of exquisite wine made also. I have tons of 97, more than I absolutely need. But I am stocking up on 99 and will also make room for 2001.
quote:Agree with all of Dean's recommendations and I too have not found a consistently less expensive supply. I have received "discounts" however as my friendship with various enotecca owners has increased.
Dan, Athens, Georgia
I have gotten free wine shippers, free bottles of Rosso di Montalcino etc from Enotecca owners. I have really split up my buying which is a bad thing in terms of getting a discount. I usually buy a case from each or 3 or 4 shops. If I put all of it in one shops hands, I bet I could get a nice sconto.
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4614 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
quote: what star rating did the '99 get (or will get shortly
I think the forecasted rating will be 93-97. It will be better than '98, but not as good as '97. I also read somewhere that the '99 might be last great year for Brunello for a while?
2000 and 2002 are going to be very difficult vintages. There will not be a lot of 2002 and even then the quality is rough. 2000 is a hot overripe vintage. The rossi were potty to say the least. But 2001 is a wonderful vintage for the rossi and I have had lots of barrel samples of 2001 Brunello and I can't wait. In each vintage, 97, 99 and '01, there are going to be incredible wines. While 97 was better for more wineries, the 99s of pertimali and Ciacci Piccolomini, for example, are superb. Costanti had a lesser vintage. For 2001 all three are very excited about their wines.
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4614 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
Thanks again Dean. You're a great help! I was wondering how long a drive it would be from Pienza to Montalcino? Could I get Brunello at comparable price in a wine store outside of Montalcino, for example, Montepulciano? I won't mind the drive to Montalcino had the primary purpose of the trip was to hunt for Brunello, but that's not the case. I will only be in the area for an afternoon to scout out some rentals.
Pienza to Montalcino is 30 minutes. Plus the most civilized wine bar is right off the Piazza del Popolo- Osticcio. Have some Cinta Cinese and drink a few Brunelli and buy some as well.
Once you go outside of Montalcino, the range of wines available falls off tremendiously as does the expertise.
words of wisdom to live by from Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs {The chorus is singing a prayer to Dionysus...} Dionysius "A hymm to me, the god of wine..." Xanthius (His slave) "I thought you were the god of drama?" Dionysius "I am the god of wine and the god of drama. A little wine will get you thru a lot of drama"
Posts: 4614 | Location: Casa del Fenicottero Rosa, Silver Spring, MD USA | Registered: 06 August 2002
You've mentioned you only have one day, so I'm not sure this info will help or hinder, but here goes.
When in Umbria last November, my husband and I became enamored of the Sagrantino di Montefalco, especially Colpetrone. Knowing we were headed to Tuscany, the fantastic folks at Le Case Gialle suggested we visit Fattoria del Cerro outside of Montepulciano and buy wine there. Not only did we find Colpetrone there, we discovered that this same company (the very large Saiagricola) produced the highly regarded Brunello, La Poderina.
The Colpetrone was a good bit cheaper than the wine shops in Umbria, but La Poderina seemed only about $5 cheaper than the highest price we saw in Montalcino.
Although we did lug alot of wine home, I have no doubt that our savings was not significant. As Dean wisely suggested, you need to do your homework on prices here in the States before buying wine in Italy. Before we left last year, I printed a Wine Spectator list of Brunellos, prices and ratings and also checked availability here in the States. The list helped us make informed decisions before buying.
If you want to know how to reach Fattoria del Cerro (it was a lovely drive amidst the vines only a few miles from Montepulciano) let me know.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Yes, only La Poderina. They had no riserva when we were there in November. You're trip timing seems perfect though, except for the lousy exchange rate.
We were not on a serious wine buying trip even though I came armed with reviews and prices. If we had been, I think we could have made several great buys in Montalcino. We love Osticchio too. The owner is well informed, the view over the countryside is grande and the food is excellent.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
I forgot to say that there are many, many wine merchants in Montepulciano and Pienza. You should be able to find some great wines in either city. With limited time, I would choose Pienza - it is easier to park and walk through the city - just my experience.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
I almost hate to ask, but about how much would it cost to taste a moderate range of Brunellos by the glass in Montalcino? I got to love Brunello when it was less expensive and we were less constrained, and I am hoping to spend a couple of nights in Montalcino in September. I would hate to be there and not get a sense of the wine’s scope, but it is so expensive here that I wonder if I might be fooling myself into thinking I will really be able to afford it even there. Also, any suggestions on what *would* constitute an interesting and moderate range for a tasting? Dorothy
I almost hate to ask, but about how much would it cost to taste a moderate range of Brunellos by the glass in Montalcino?
Osticcio had a 3 Brunello 98 plus one Riserva 97 tasting for €18. Unfortunately the 97 Riserva was Greppo Mazzi from Ruffino, not a very exciting wine. I recall the Enotecca Fortezza charging about €6 for a glass of Brunello, and €3 for Rosso di Montalcino.
Be sure not to pass on 2001 Rosso di MOntalcinos. they are incredible and great bargains.
quote:Also, any suggestions on what *would* constitute an interesting and moderate range for a tasting? Dorothy
quote: Be sure not to pass on 2001 Rosso di MOntalcinos. they are incredible and great bargains
Thanks for the tip on the Rosso. I've seen 2001 Rosso in my local wine stores, and the ones I saw cost over $20. Is it my imagination, or is the term "Italian wine bargain" quickly approaching the status of an oxymoron.
I think the term wine bargain is in general, Italian or not. Th eproblem is that the wine world is bifurcating. Basically, there is very little bad wine being made anywhere in the world. We used to be able to laugh at a hungarian or romania wine because they typically were undrinkable. But winemaking and grape growing have progressed so far that you can make drinkable plonk almost anywhere.
And that is the problem. Because you can, the people who make the large amounts of plonk have no tradition to fall back on. There are boatload and lakes of insipid wine. These days, everyone is talking about Yellowtail Shiraz and 2 buck chuck. These are merely the first steps towards wine from soda pop. They ahve no character except for a certain vinuousness (chuck) and a clumsy grapyness (Yellowtail). But they ahve no flaws and they are technically okay wines.
But to me they are like Carlos Mendoza vs. Michaelangelo. Carlos painted my basement. Its a great job. All the walls are covered, there is a minimum of streaking and not paint on the carpet. The wine cellar is paiinted a lavender and purple and the seams are all straight and these dark and vibrant colors are even. But I ain't going to charge admission for anyone to see Carlos' work! In fact, I don't notice it except when I am at the end of my 45 minutes on the treadmill or rowing machine and the CD has ended and I cannot get off to start it over for another 5 minutes!
So to me, being able to get a Rosso di Montalcino from Ciacci Piccolomini ($24.00 at Macaarthurs) or Costanti ($19.99 at Zachy's in New York) is a real bargain. These are wines with loads of heart and soul, with a distinctive taste of place. I would rather drink a wine of this level 3 times a week than drink Yellowtail Shiraz every night of the week.
By the way, if you are an Italian wine lover with a bigger wine budget, Sam's in Chicago is having their winter sale right now. There are some astounding wine bargains. Macarini 99 Barolo, a superb year, a superb producer, wines that will age for a decade at least, $29.00. Ca Rome 2000 Barbaresco Maria di Brun is $42.00. Simply put, this is my favorite Barbaresco year in and year out. It is a cuvee from their top vineyards and is named for their grandmother. Again, these are incredible wine bargains as other wines this good are costing $70 to $100 a bottle and more. I would rather have a bottle of these wines and the left over money than a bottle of Gaja, Ceretto, Sandrone, rivetti etc etc etc. In fact, for the price of a single bottle of Gaja, I could have 4 to 12 bottles of the Ca Rome. Another great bargain that an Italian wine lover will likely enjoy is 3 valley red 2001 from Ridge. It is half zin and half odds and ends. It will age well and it lists for $18.00 in California. I saw it online at Sam's in Chicago for $15. It would be $16.20 shipped direct from Ridge (if you are in a state that the winery can ship to). Ridge Home Page
Dean, I agree with what you said about the misconception about wine bargains in the general public, and the "Yellowtail Shiraz and 2 buck chuck". But there's something to be said about finding a bottle of 2000 Wynns Cabernet selling for $11.99. (I picked one up this weekend). For my super bowl party this weekend, I opened a bottle of 2000 Masia Esplanes Rojo from Spain ($16.99), and one of my Italian guests couldn't believe it when he found out that it wasn't an Italian wine. The pleasure of bargain hunting is finding something in a price catagory that you're not supposed to. My lucks have led to some bargains in Spanish, Autralian and Chilliean wines, but hardly any in Italian wines in the bargain basement catagory.
I have been having great luck with Clos de l'Enclos from Andre Brunel at $6.99 on sale form 2001. Haven't seen a newer vintage and the 01 is all gone. But that is one of the few under $10.00 wines I have tried reccently that really got me excited.
Abbadia del Retuerto 2001 at $12.00 is quite fine if a little clumsy. The Alsace offers incredible bargains like Albert mann whose "regular" wines go for around 12.00.
In the bargain Italian area I have had some better luck recently with whites. I can find a slew of Sud Tyrol whites for around $12.00- Maso Poli Pinto Grigio is a good standby. Pojer e Sandre is being offered at good prices as well.
On the red side, the Costanti at 19.99 is probably going to blow away the rioja for about the same price. Three are some very nice Chianti 2001 around that easily fit under $20.00. You can get 2001 Fonterutoli DOCG. Valpolicella offers a great bargain place to look- I can find Allegrini both Valpolicella and Palazzo della Torre both for under $20, the former for under $10. Dolcetto from Einaudi (Vigna Tecc or straight Dolgliani) and Marcarini fit the bill.
The thing I have with this area is that you taste 3 or 4 mediocre ones to find a good one. So you might as well just go ahead and buy up unless you are having a party. And so much of wha the wine press says is good at these prices(such as the Yellowtail) is just drivel!
Dean,How about those 2000 borolos? Will I be able to get them on my late May trip?,Unfortunatly I have to purchase them in Florence,but figure good shops will be way cheaper than here(for high end stuff like Giacosa or Conterno,(They were about 30-40% cheaper as of October).RR
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