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"This just in…the
2003 vintage Brunello di Montalcino's are being released and they are impressive!
2003 Brunellos I have tasted so far from the top producers in Montalcino
have showed good structure and freshness. They will be very approachable young but they will improve with age as well. They will start arriving on the market March 2008.
The 2003 Brunellos I tasted were beautiful and very delicious already. They are a fruitier, richer and more
ostentatious than what you might be used to. Their acidities are a little lighter and their tannins a little softer.
Lots of jammy fruit yet fresh and structured. A perfect bridge to
the spectacular 2004 vintage." -
Mike Ulanday
The 2003 Brunellos offer a dramatic introduction to the new millennium for Tuscany's most famous red. They are rich and powerful yet show wonderful balance and length. They are a combination of the structured and tannic 1999s and the refined and fresh 1997s.
 2003 Valdicava
$128.46 (limited) Pre-arrival $119.89 Sold
out
2003 Valdicava 375ml $70.60 (limited) $65.89
Enticing aromas of meat and mushroom pie mingle with rich plum and spices. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins and intense fruit and mineral flavors. Well-crafted, finishing long. The flagship Brunello in 2003. The wine of the vintage.
-95points, Wine Spectator This may be the best producer of Brunello today. The last few vintages from this estate have been some of the most memorable wines I've tasted. Valdicava is the actual name of the valley in which the greatest single-vineyard wines of Brunello are produced. In the middle of this valley sits the grand Madonna del Piano vineyard along with the Valdicava estate. Madonna del Piano was the first single vineyard Brunello ever produced. This is the wine of the vintage.
 2003 Canalicchio di Sopra Rosso di Montalcino
$24.80 Pre-arrival $23.55
2003 Canalicchio di Sopra $62.17 Pre-arrival $59.07
This sensationally concentrated, huge, full-bodied wine possesses enough
tannin to make it nearly impenetrable. The color is an opaque garnet/ruby,
and the nose offers up significant evidence of superb ripeness and
intensity. Extremely full-bodied and tannic, with massive fruit
extraction, this spicy, yet tightly wound Brunello has awesome potential.
 2003 Friggiali
Rosso di Montalcino $23.80 Pre-arrival $22.61
2003 Friggiali $57.12 Pre-arrival $54.26
2003 Friggiali "Donna Olga" $62.88 Pre-arrival $59.73
Located in the one of the most distinguished sub-zones of the Montalcino district. The vines are terraced in such a way that allows cultivation at a varied range of altitudes and soil make-ups, giving the wines many extra layers and complexity. The grapes of the lower altitudes reveal a higher acidity, the medium altitude grapes are marked by an exceptional fullness of flavor, and the grapes harvested from the higher altitudes add an intense bouquet.
 2004 Romitorio
Romito di Romitorio $44.31 Pre-arrival $39.28
The Sant’Antimo Rosso denomination, approved by the D.O.C. in 1996, gives
winemakers in Montalcino the ability to offer wines that vary from the more rigid
regulations that apply to the other denominations. While Sant’Antimo may be made
without any Sangiovese grapes at all, Castello Romitorio’s “Romito del
Romitorio” draws its unique character from the fact that it is three-fifths Sangiovese, making
this Sant’Antimo a respected relative of the big Brunellos. While Cannaiolo’s
soft flavours compliment the Sangiovese, blending in the supple and oakloving
Cabernet Sauvignon adds to the character of this wine. Romito is bright, approaching ruby in color. Opulent and incredibly balanced in structure.
In Castello Romitorio’s “Romito,” the rebellious and the traditional are married--the
boldness of Sangiovese joins the complexity of Cabernet, and through the subtlety
of Canaiolo emerges an exquisite harmony. In a moderation of the style of the
“Super Tuscans,” “Romito del Romitorio” is composed of sixty percent Sangiovese
Grosso, twenty percent Cabernet Sauvignon and twenty percent Cannaiolo, and is
aged fourteen months in French barriques.
60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cannaiolo
 2003 Castello
di Romitorio $55.58 Pre-arrival $49.28
Castello Romitorio’s Brunello of Montalcino stands as the cornerstone of our
production. Made from only the “Brunello” strain of the Sangiovese Grosso grape,
this wine is one of the most treasured of all Italian reds. A careful selection of the
harvest’s bounty, strict adherence to technique, and constant checks during the
aging process transform the Sangiovese uvaggio into one of Italy’s most revered
wines. Ruby red in color, this Brunello di Montalcino possesses a fruity and spicy
bouquet. Its velvety texture harmonizes the rich and balanced tannins completed
by two years in oak, blending the wine’s qualities into a character that is at once
forceful and elegant.
The respected provenance of a Brunello di Montalcino is perhaps best seen in the
name of grape from which it is created: Sangiovese, from “Sangius Jovis”—the
blood of Jupiter. The Sangiovese grape serves as the foundation of much of
Italy’s ancient tradition in wines. Among all the strains of Sangiovese, however,
the Brunello is widely regarded as the most dignified, and a Brunello di Montalcino
must contain nothing other than this exquisite grape. Furthermore, it must be aged
for no less than two years in oak, followed by at least four months in the bottle.
Castello Romitorio’s Brunello of Montalcino usually ages for 36 months in oak but
because of the complex vintage it aged only 24 months in oak and eight months
in the bottle. The rewards of the Brunello regulations’ strict requirements are
readily apparent in the glass. Castello Romitorio takes pride in its part in this great
tradition.
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