Brunello di Montalcino
2020
Talenti is a gorgeous estate located in one of the world's most picturesque regions - the valley of the river Orcia, south of the legendary hill town of Montalcino, near the beautiful (and beautifully preserved) medieval monastery of Sant'Antimo, where if you were lucky, you might still hear the monks singing beneath the ancient Romanesque arches of the church built in the early 12th century: they continue to do so every day. Azienda Talenti was established by Pierliugi Talenti in 1981. The...
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Talenti firm is running a project which is marking clear qualitative improvements every year. Cleanliness and finesse also in this 2017, with a very delicate nose, touches of red plum, then notes of lavender, chinotto and touches of white pepper. Palate with juicy and brackish tannins, nice tension and density, fruity-officinal finish.
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Displaying a youthful red/magenta color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is sunny and inviting with aromas of sweet berries and some blue fruit coming through on the nose, along with violets, cola, and pine. Approachable and open, it has a medium to full-bodied frame, plush tannins, and a rounded mid-palate. It displays good length and is a great offering that can be enjoyed now or over the next 10-15 years. This is a super solid value, and I would gladly enjoy it on my table.
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Aromas of dried figs, pomegranate syrup, macerated blackberries and licorice gleam on the nose. The palate is cohesive, with more figs, blackberries and licorice, but also adds touches of salt, dark chocolate and caramel to keep you on your toes, and brings a developing bite of bitter citrus for balance.
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The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly with a blend of savory herbs, worn leather, dried roses and cinnamon-dusted currants. This flows across the palate with textures of pure silk, racy yet refined, with a seamless wave of ripe red fruits that slowly saturate toward the close. It finishes long and staining yet harmonious. Crunchy tannins frame the experience without slowing its momentum as licorice and orange notes gradually fade. This fantastic, high-energy rendition of Talenti’s Brunello will thrive over ten to fifteen years of cellaring.
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Warm and deep in the sensory profile showing notes of black prunes, blackberries, wild myrtle, salted caramel and burnt mandarin rind. Full bodied, soft tannins perfectly integrated in the matrix and a sincere, genuine finale which uses persistency on the palate as its main weapon. Better from 2022.
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This has aromas of ripe and dried berry fruit, praline, porcini and chili chocolate. Some salted olives, too. I like the interplay of savory and sweet fruit, with sleek tannins, fresh acidity and a medium body rendering this a very balanced and approachable Brunello.
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Dark berry and cherry character with bark and mahogany in both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with integrated tannins. Linear and tight with a long finish. Needs time to open and soften.
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The bouquet on the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is to die for, offering cloves and balsamic spices that give way to crushed cherries, sage and fresh mint. It’s elegant yet lifted in feel, with silky textures carrying the ripe wild berry fruits effortlessly across the palate. Saline-minerals combine with grippy tannins toward the close, slowing the 2017’s momentum ever so slightly, yet still permitting the most beautiful display of hard red candies and violet florals to linger incredibly long. What a gorgeous 2017, and with short-term cellaring potential as well. Of note is that Talenti’s production was down by 25% due to the conditions of the vintage, and there will not be a Riserva, as all of the juice went to the Brunello.
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The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is especially dark and rich in the glass, displaying a mix of plum sauce and grilled herbs lifted by hints of mint and cedar shavings. This displays textures of pure silk, coming across and cool-toned and sleek with a core of tart raspberry fruits energized by fresh acidity. The 2020 maintains fantastic balance and poise, finishing classically structured and long yet still quite fresh. This may not have the power of bigger vintages yet impresses more for its graceful and giving nature.
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Floral style to this tense Brunello, together with cherry jam in a positive, delicate way. Medium- to full-bodied and firm with chalky tannins, yet ripe and refreshing acidity. Juicy overall, with a touch of blood orange in the aftertaste
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Perfumed, with red berries, cherries and a hint of rose stem in the nose. Medium-bodied with lots of wood and richness. Chewy and slightly austere, but it should soften with age and come together.
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The Talenti 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows a lot of soft and ripe fruit with blackberry and cherry confit at the front. Spice, leather, crushed flower and potting soil follow in due course and so does the wine's impactful 15% alcohol. This wine is a bit thin and short on the mid-palate, but otherwise, this is a solid effort for this difficult vintage. Some 25,000 bottles were rolled out.
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Scorched earth, underbrush, menthol and coconut aromas make their way to the forefront. The warm, brawny palate features dried cherry, prune steeped in spirits, coffee bean and licorice set against a backbone of firm, fine-grained tannins.
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With strawberry, mint, cherry blossom and allspice, this 2017 possesses all the fragrant garden goodness that Talenti’s estate Brunello typically shows. Generous fruit captures the intense warmth of the vintage and some potent alcohol seeps through but its flavours remain pure. Juicy and supple, this will deliver plenty of gratification over the next five years or so. Riccardo Talenti reports starting the Sangiovese harvest on 5 September, approximately 10 days earlier than usual, picking before the acidity dropped and potential alcohol became too excessive.
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