The medieval fortress town of Montalcino is a mecca for wine lovers because it has such a proliferation of wine bars, wine shops and restaurants with excellent wine lists. Brunello di Montalcino is the finest wine made entirely from the Sangiovese grape and has the status of DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). Brunellos are kept for a minimum of four years before release, of which a minimum of two must be refined in wood.
According to most producers, vintage 1997 was the best of the 20th century and the wines are just coming on to the market. The 1997 Brunellos should provide excellent drinking over the next decade. Total production was about 400,000 cases of which 64 per cent are exported. Drop into the offices of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino (tel: [39] 0577 848246) to collect maps and other useful guides before exploring the region. There are 215 members of the Consorzio.
Fattoria dei Barbi (tel: [39] 0577 848277) in Podernovi is geared up for visitors and a tour of the cellars should not be missed. The winemaking process is clearly laid out with charts, videos, soil samples and many other pedagogical aids. The wines are good also. Time the visit for lunch or an early dinner since the Taverna dei Barbi (tel: [39] 0577 841200) has many local specialities, including cured meats and pecorino cheeses made from sheep grazing on the property. Prices are about 10 euros (HK$78) for rabbit cooked in a Brunello sauce or beef cooked slowly in vin santo. A good range of Barbi Brunellos can be sampled along with older vintages on request.
Casato Prime Donne (tel: [39] 0577 849421) is owned by Donatella Cinelli Colombini and is located in a restored farmhouse built in 1592. Frescoes throughout the winery illustrate the history of Montalcino. The winemakers are all female, which is quite revolutionary for Italy and the business aims to prove that the 'weaker sex' can compete in the highest levels of oenology.
Southwest of Montalcino in Castelnuovo dell'Abate is La Poderina (tel: [39] 0577 835737), which is owned by Saiagricola, an agricultural investment firm. Both the Brunello and the Brunello Riservas (which must aged five years before release) are good wines but La Poderina is successfully experimenting with less wood ageing to produce a concentrated fruity wine albeit without DOCG status.
Villa Poggio Salvi (tel: [39] 0577 848486) in Sovicille is part of the Biondi Santi empire. Ferruccio Biondi and Clemente Santi are credited with producing the first Brunello around 1870. Franco, the elder statesman of the family, believes Brunellos should not be decanted as this will 'shock' the wine. His view is that a bottle should be opened a day in advance so that oxygen can descend layer by layer into the bottle. Why not test his theory?
Run by the young, energetic Emilia Nardi, Tenute Silvio Nardi (tel: [39] 0577 808269) to the northwest of Montalcino is a winery to keep an eye on. The wines are showing the benefit of careful vineyard management and modern winemaking.