Brunello 2015, a 5-star vintage

The invitation said “Elegant attire.” That’s definitely not the norm for a wine tasting, not even a Brunello vintage preview. 

Perhaps it was because the 2015 vintage is so special that the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino decided to pull out all the stops. That and the fact that we North Americans are darn good customers, consuming a whopping 40% of Brunello exports. 

A fraction of the line-up.

It was quite an affair. Held in the posh Park Hyatt New York, the walk-around tasting of 45 Brunellos was followed by a four-course dinner prepared by a two Michelin–star chef flown in specially from Milan: Andrea Parea of VUN. He was roundly applauded after we’d supped on dishes that included an unusual milky potato-cheese soup showered with black truffles; a saffron risotto alla Milanese topped with tender veal; and a melt-in-your-mouth manzo (young beef) with mushrooms. Gilding the lily was a decadent dessert of gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut) in various forms.

Back to the wine: Out of all Italy’s appellations, Brunello has the longest aging requirements. It cannot be released until February five years after harvest, so 2015 will show up in wine shops starting this spring. 

The 2015 vintage enjoyed “perfect weather,” according to Brunello consortium president Fabrizio Bindocci of Il Poggione. It was pretty ideal all over Italy, in fact. A wet winter was followed by a cool rainy spring, which prepared the vines to withstand stretches of extreme heat that arrived with summer. Rainstorms in August freshened things up in time for harvest, which was conducted without haste, allowing each producer to pick when he felt the grapes to be of optimal ripeness. 

The PARK HYATT’S GLOSSY DINING ROOM

The result is a deeply colored and beautifully balanced vintage. The 2015 Brunellos show vivid, juicy fruit; fine tannins that are already nicely integrated; and a fresh acidity that’ll give the wines long staying power.

At least for now, Brunello is enjoying a golden age with climate change. Look at the 5-star vintages declared by the consortium: Since World War II, only two 5-star vintages were declared each decade from the 1950s through the 1980s, followed by three in the 1990s and 2000s. This decade we have had four: 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2016.

Granted, not all of Montalcino benefits from warmer temps. On the lower stretches of this hill—which is effectively a 1480’ layer-cake in terms of soil and climate—the grapes can cook, so it pays to know a winery’s location. (For more on that, see my article “Brunello Basics: The lowdown on Tuscany’s most prestigious wine.”) 

Me and other members of the Wine Media Guild at the Brunello 2015 preview

With 208 bottlers in Montalcino, it’s impossible to know them all. Tastings like this offer the chance to make new acquaintances. I was delighted to discover La Fiorita, which has a stand-out but oddly named cru, NO. I knew Canalicchio di Sopra by name only, which is now in the hands of the founder’s 32-year-old grandson, and I was seriously smitten by its savory, dimensional Brunello. Another new name (to me) was Ridolfi, a Tuscan family that goes back to 1290. Their special selection Brunello, Donna Rebecca, is one to look for.

Other stand-outs were from names that need no introduction: Fanti, Il Poggione, Pian delle Vigne, Poggio Antico, and Talenti.

Bottom line: Once 2020 rolls around, get in line for these wines. Just make sure you’re flush with cash, because these beauties won’t go cheaply.