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Top 5 Brunello (Sangiovese) at the LCBO
If I Could Buy Only One – September 27th Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the September 27th release, which one would it be and why?” Shanahans The Barking Dog GSM 2023, South Australia, Australia$19.95, Five Senses Wines & SpiritsSara d’Amato – I have a soft spot for rotundone, the aromatic compound behind that peppery kick in certain grapes like […] More
Buyer’s Guide to Vintages September 27th Release
Aged Wines – Expectation and Reality By David Lawrason, with notes from Sara d’Amato, Michael Godel and John Szabo The twin maxims that all wine is better with age — and the older the better — is just not true. I sense that most WineAlign readers know this, but it is worth repeating as Vintages […] More
If I Could Buy Only One – September 13th Vintages Release
We asked our writers, “If you could buy only one wine from the September 13th release, which one would it be and why?” Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2023, Ontario, Canada$34.95, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery Sara d’Amato – In a Vintages release that is stacked with impressive local wines, the Speck Family […] More
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Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most prestigious appellations in Italy, born in the 19th Century in its present form thanks to the efforts of the Biondi-Santi family, who defined its rules and have largely guided it to the present day. The wines are made from 100% Sangiovese grape, in particular from a clone called Sangiovese Grosso, or also as Brunello - hence the appellation's name. Traditionally, the wine goes through an extended maceration period where color, tannins and flavour are extracted from the skins. Following fermentation the wine is then aged in oak. Traditionally, the wines are aged 3 years or more in "botti" - large Slovenian oak casks that impart little oak flavour and generally produce more austere wines. Some winemakers will use small French barrels which impart a more pronounced vanilla oak flavour and add a certain fruitiness to the wine. Whatever the approach, wines must be aged for for years (with a minimum of two years in barrel) before being released, according to appellation rules.
