Tasting Report: 2007 Brunello di Montalcinos Are Superlative Quality

Brunello di Montalcino has never had two consecutive great vintages – but it did in 2007 and 2006, and now they are both on the market. The question is, which is better?

I tasted about 160 2007 Brunello di Montalcinos 10 days ago in blind tastings in Tuscany, and I was incredibly impressed with the richness of the wines. They are wonderfully fruity with a purity of ripe Sangiovese that is seldom seen from the vineyards surrounding the hilltop town of Montalcino. The bright fruit in the wines overshadowed their firm tannins and fresh acidities, yet they remain agile with tension.

The 2007 Brunellos are just now on the market, while the 2006 Brunellos were released last year. Click here for my report from last year on the 2006s. A report on the amazing 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riservas will be posted next week with about 100 tasting notes.

I think the 2007 Brunellos are slightly more drinkable than the 2006s at this stage because of their juicer and slightly riper fruit character. I would rather drink vintages of Brunello such as 2005 or 2004 before the 2006 or 2007. Both of these new vintages should age beautifully considering they are similar to the quality of the great 1997, whose Brunellos are drinking beautifully if the bottles were stored properly and made correctly in the first place.

“It’s the incredible fruit that makes the 2007 different than the 2006,” said Enrico VIglierchio, general manager of Banfi, who made slightly better Brunellos in 2007 than 2006.

In Banfi’s case, a new winery for making Brunello may have enhanced its quality winemaking, but the dry, warm and sunny growing season of 2007 also made the difference. In fact, the big difference between 2007 and 2006 is that 2007 had a couple of extremely hot periods during the summer – often called heat spikes in California – that ripened the grapes slightly more.

“I like the slightly more fruity style of the 2007s,” said owner Vincenzo Abbruzzese of Valdicava, whose 2007 Brunello I gave one point more than in 2006 – or 98 points. “But this may be simply personal preference.”

In fact, many of my top scoring 2007 Brunellos in this report are the best ever from a number of wineries, including one of my best of the tasting: the Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero, which I scored 98 points. Overall, I found 18 wines that I thought were worthy of 95 points or more – or superlative quality.

This said, I did not rate any 2007 Brunellos 100 points, while last year I rated two 2006 Brunellos 100 points: the Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova and Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino Luce. And I had slightly more 95-point wines. However, the two vintages are equal with outstanding wines. In the tasting of 2007, I rated almost 90 percent of the wines 90 points or more; that’s astounding consistency in quality. I can’t think of another wine region that delivers such high quality on a whole.

More than 200 growers now bottle their own wines, as well as the wine cooperative. This means each year, more and more new labels are on the market from tiny producers who make only a few hundred cases of wine, to others who make tens of thousands. Viticulture and winemaking is in top form in the region and many vine growers are using organic and biodynamic methodology.

Prices for the wines have been stable for the most part since the poor economy in Europe has slowed Brunello sales, particularly in Italy. And the Euro is slightly weaker against the dollar, so you should be able to buy outstanding Brunellos for $45 to $85 a bottle. I just received an offer for a top 2007 Brunello for less than $40. So, it’s never been a better time to buy and drink Brunello.

And just for the record, I slightly prefer the 2006 Brunellos because of their firmer tannins and livelier acidity. But it’s splitting hairs, as I like to say. Both are super vintages for Brunello di Montalcino.

Also tasted, but no receiving marks of 90 points or more:

2007 Carillon Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino  2007 La Pieve Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Villa I Cipressi Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Baccinetti Brunello di Montalcino Saporoia 2007 Cantina di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Collelceto Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Pinino Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Poggio Rubino Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Terre Nere Brunello di Montalcino Campigli Vallone 2007 Tornesi Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Colombaio Brunello di Montalcino Nannetti Valter 2007 Fattoi Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Gorelli Brunello di Montalcino Le Potazzine 2007 Colle degli Angeli Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino  2007 Sesti Brunello di Montalcino