Brunello di Montalcino

2004 Brunello di Montalcino – Il Paradiso di Manfredi. This exceptional bottle immediately displays classic elements of the Sangiovese grape, cultivated on the hillside under the town of Montalcino, along a narrow dirt raod on your right side as you wind your way up the main route towards the upper town. It has a pleasantly subtle bouquet of ripe wild cherries and blackberries, moist leaves and herbs. The flavors take time to find harmony as it’s still young and vibrant with tart dried fruit and refined complexity.

A very enjoyable bottle now with absolute potential to develop more complexity with age. The finish is a nice tobacco and fruit blend, something usually found in a good Barolo. Florio continues the tradition begun by his father-in-law who worked for Biondi Santi in the late ’50’s. No additives or sulfites, Florio believes that a winemaker should intervene as little as possible, and can only destroy what the grapes, soil and weather can accomplish naturally. We spent an unforgettable New Years eve a few years ago with the entire family, beginning with lunch and ending at 2:30 am while nona Fortunata was headed out to get more wood for the fire and commenting, “You’re leaving so early?!”

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