The Toronto Vintners Club

1999 BRUNELLO, May 26, 2009 - SOLD OUT!

Guest Speaker: Angelo Agostino of La Cantina Imports

Notes on the Wines

How The Wines Scored

Brunello is considered to be one of the richest and most prestigious wines produced in Italy, largely due to its exclusivity. The 1999 vintage is regarded by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino as a 4 star year on their 5 star scale. Declared a ‘great vintage’ by Jancis Robinson, 1999 Brunello ranks second only to the 1997 vintage (a “classic”) and TVC is fortunate to present 8 wines from a highly rated year. 

Wines of Brunello have an impressive richness of fruit, great concentration, powerful tannins, and great aging potential. In ancient times, the ancient Tuscan village of Montalcino (where Brunello is now made) - seventy miles south of Florence and two hundred miles north of Rome - was under the sea which left a unique minerality to the soil. It sits on a 1970 foot range between the Ombrone and Arbia valleys, protected from storms by Monte Amiata in the south. The climate is dry with a clear contrast between daytime and nighttime temperatures encouraging optimum development of the Sangiovese Grosso grape from which Brunello is made. Unlike its cousin to the north, Chianti, Brunello is unblended. Wines made of this grape are more full-bodied, darker and more complex than the Chianti grapes. The terrior contributes to the signature earthiness of this wine and can only be produced in Montalcino.

Brunello, or “brown” in Tuscan dialect, refers to the tint of the skin of the sangiovese grosso grape and is the name of the wine from this area. The sangiovese grosso grape is a clone of sangiovese, characterized by larger berries and thicker skin. This clone was discovered 150 years ago by Clemente Santi, who noticed that some of his vines grew more compact grapes. Santi undertook the first experimentation to isolate and propagate this suitable Sangiovese rootstock. The berries were especially thick-skinned and the resulting wine was far more expressive than the rest of the estate’s sangiovese. By perfecting the propagation, his grandson, Ferruccio was able to stock the vineyard with these selected wines and in 1888; the first Brunello” was bottled.

Until the 1970’s, only a handful of vineyards produced this wine, although over the last 30 years, production levels have increased substantially due to the popularity of Brunello, the most famous of which is Biondi-Santi 1955, hailed as one of twelve of the best wines of the century, along with such exalted wines as Chateaux Margaux 1990 and Chateau Petrus 1961. Although we do not have the Biondi-Santi 1955, we do have a very good representation of styles and producers. TVC will present exclusive wines both from classic producers originating in the 16th century such as Argiano and Castiglion, and from more contemporary producers such as Capanna and Mocali who began producing Brunello in the 1950’s, all from a wonderful vintage year.

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The Wines

Mocali, Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $54.95
A very solid red with blackberry, licorice and smoke on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. Loads of cherry character. Best wine ever from here. Best after 2006. Score - 92 (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, June 15, 2004)

La Gerla Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $65
Textbook Brunello with complex, yet subtle aromas of cherries, tobacco, cedar and spices. Full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a fresh and delicious finish. Excellent wine from this producer. Better than the 1997. Best from 2005 through 2010. 2,000 cases made. Score – 92. (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, Web Only, 2004) 

Castiglion Del Bosco Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $59
Full red-ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of red berries, dried herbs and nutty, vanillin oak. Dense and sweet but also quite fresh; good ripe acidity gives shape and definition to the wine's complex flavors of raspberry, currant, tobacco and minerals. Finishes quite lively, with smooth tannins, suggestions of dusty herbs and spices, and a lingering mineral quality. Very Brunello, and already quite approachable. Score – 90. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, Sept./Oct. 2004) 

Argiano Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $69
Solid, with blackberry, plum and cedar character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins and a long finish. This is what you expect from an outstanding Brunello. Best after 2006. Score – 92. (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, May 15, 2004)


Fattori Dei Barbi Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 DOCG $42
The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino is the best in years, dark garnet with a full and varied nose of red fruit, leather, and game, a sizeable palate, structured but round and with attractive sensations of liquorice and minerals on its sweet and polished close. Drink: 2005-2014. Score - 89. (Daniel Thomases, www.erobertparker.com, Apr 2005)

Capanna Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $55
Slightly leathery, with very ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. A bit funky but I like it. Reminds me of the 1997. Best after 2005. Score - 91. (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, May 15, 2004) Score - 91 (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, May 15, 2004)

Pian Delle Vigne Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $62
A rich ruby with light garnet highlights, the powerful and expressive nose of red fruit, herbs, and leather is matched by an equally important palate, of major intensity and concentration, warm and round with impressively defined Sangiovese fruit and much complexity on the lengthy, and intense finish ... Drink: 2005-2018. Score - 93 (Daniel Thomases, www.erobertparker.com, April 2005)

Mastrojanni Brunello Di Montalcino 1999 $56 
A bit austere, but there's some very good cedar, tobacco and ripe berry character. Full-bodied, austere and tannic. Long and chewy. Traditional style. Give it some time. Like a fine Burgundy. Best after 2006. Score - 89. (James Suckling, www.winespectator.com, May 15, 2004) 

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How The Wines Scored

Please check back after the tasting for the results.

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