Score: 94/100
The Tuscan lady that produces this Brunello, Donatella Cinelli Colombini, is particularly proud of this wine in its 2010 vintage version.
She goes as far as saying: “This is the best Brunello I have ever produced”.
One has to know that in Tuscany, and around the village of Montalcino where Brunello wine is made, the 2010 vintage will stay down in history as an exceptional one.
The standard 2010 Brunello by Donatella Cinelli Colombini (not the Riserva one we’re tasting here), that gets released sooner because it goes through a shorter oak maturation, received solid international recognition for its quality.
There were therefore great expectations when this 2010 Brunello Riserva came out.
This is a 100% Sangiovese wine (the grape being called Brunello around Montalcino).
The manual grape harvest took place quite late on the October 1st. Grapes were sorted twice. They had small clusters and berries in comparison with other vintages which in principle allows for a greater concentration of tannins. The acidity was also superior to normal with a high component of malic acid.
After fermentation, this Brunello was first aged for a year in 5-7 hl oak vats. For the second and third year ageing, it was transferred in 30-40 hl oak barrels from the Allier forest in France and Slovenia.
So how good is this 2010 Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Riserva really?
The answer is in the tasting notes:
The wine comes in a dark garnet red color. A little evolved on the rim but still looking bright and dense.
Powerfully rich, warm, and spicy nose. It displays a charming and intriguing complexity. Your senses just want to analyze, dig in, smell in, and decompose. So let’s do it a little!
The very first dominant aromas are ones that recall dark notes: dark cocoa, toasted oak, black olive, and clove. It’s dark, it’s intriguing, and seems to be saying: “follow the dark rabbit and find out what else you might discover”.
What you find are rich ripe fruity characters of cherry if not cherry liqueur, and blackberry jam. The whole is both coated into and lifted by spicy notes of white pepper, dried herbs (thyme-like), a little vanilla.
You’ve got it! It’s charming and complex to smell.
Putting the wine in your mouth, the palate doesn’t disappoint.
You’re immediately stroke by both the smooth density of tannins, and the sheer intensity of flavors. You get an absolute burst of warm fruity flavors, delicate oak scents, and plenty of spices too.
Take the notes described for the nose, multiply them by 10 both in intensity and length, and you’ll get a feel for the palate sensation.
It’s bold, yet super-complex and layered.
Big body, dense fine tannins, warm alcohol. This is ripe concentrated fruit.
Overall
An immensely satisfying Sangiovese red combining explosive fruitiness with Italian savoriness, herbal character and refined oak tones.
Sheer concentration and stunning number of flavor layers make for a memorable tasting experience and will allow to successfully pair with many tasty foods: stewed meats, game, fine cheeses and many more.
When to drink?
The wine is great to enjoy now to appreciate the fresh (yet ripe) fruit characters combined with the built-in spiciness.
But no doubt this wine will age well for another few years developing further layers of complexity, and intensified savoriness.
Please let me know your thoughts