SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch re-visits Mocali, whose single-vineyard Brunello di Montalcino, “Vigna delle Raunate,” is the kind of classically styled Sangiovese that belongs in any well-curated cellar.
I’m still basking in the afterglow of a recent trip to Tuscany, during which I got a valuable refresher on the diversity of Montalcino’s vineyards and wines. I’ll be honest—I had been “off” Brunello for a while, as so many Montalcino wines had been tasting too hot and ‘cooked’ for my taste. The Sangiovese grape, even in a warm, Mediterranean climate like Montalcino’s, is a savory, spicy, brightly acidic variety by nature. Inky, sweet, chunky Brunello is not my cup of tea, and not authentic Brunello, in my humble opinion; I want tension, savor, and aromatics that make me feel like I was abandoned in the forest in the middle of the night. Today’s wine from Mocali, a producer whose ‘entry-level’ wine we featured recently, is one of a growing number of single-vineyard expressions of Brunello di Montalcino. Sourced from vines now exceeding 30 years of age, the 2012 “Vigna delle Raunate” is a Sangiovese that stays true to itself and its place—a wine with the energy, density, and structure for extended cellaring. This wine is just getting started on what promises to be an exciting journey, and at this price, it’s a journey even the casual enthusiast can afford to take. If, like me, you had strayed away from Montalcino, this wine will bring you back. It is the real deal.
The Mocali estate spans 32 hectares in total, with just 10 of those devoted to vineyards (they also lease a few hectares of vines nearby). The property was first acquired in the 1950s by Dino Ciacci, who was one of those 25 founding members of Montalcino’s producers’ association, or consorzio—and the grandfather of current-day proprietor Tiziano Ciacci, who lives on that same property in Tavernelle, one of the villages on the ‘south slope’ of the Montalcino hill. The Mocali vineyards are extremely close to those of legendary estates such as Soldera and Pieve di Santa Restituta (Gaja), with soils of marl and sandstone and vineyard altitudes of 300-350 meters.
And, as has become a bit of a theme in my write-ups, I’d characterize Mocali as another example of “south slope” Brunello that defies the conventional wisdom in the area; Montalcino itself is a fortified village perched atop an almost-conical outcropping, with vineyards spilling down all sides. Traditionally, Brunellos from north-facing vineyards were expected to be more aromatic, elegant expressions of Sangiovese and those from the south-facing sites more broad and muscular, but it doesn’t always work out that way on either side. As I said above, it’s perfume and proportion that draws me to Mocali, even in this more-powerful single-vineyard expression.
Alessandra Mililotti Ciacci, Tiziano’s wife, gave us the following technical rundown on the 2012 “Vigna delle Raunate”:
“We chose our oldest vines (31 years old) from rich, mineral soils to produce this single cru bottling of Brunello di Montalcino. Whereas our base Brunello is fermented in stainless steel with aging in large oak cask, ‘Raunate’ is vinified and aged entirely in oak. Fermentation for ‘Raunate’ takes place in large oak cask. The wine is then aged for one year in 350L tonneaux before being moved back to large oak cask for an additional two years of aging.”
In the glass, this wine has a concentrated garnet red core moving to lighter garnet and orange hues on the rim, with precisely the kind of meaty, savory nose that transports me right to this grape and this place: The aromas are an evocative mix of black cherry, plum liqueur, dried blood orange peel, licorice, grill char, leather, wild mushroom, wood smoke, underbrush, and dried herbs. Full-bodied and well-structured, this wine has the fresh acid and tannic backbone to sustain it for 15-20 years in the cellar. It opens up beautifully now after about an hour in a decanter, but even then, I crave a fatty bistecca to counter it; the real sweet spot for this wine is still a few years down the line, likely between 2020-2025. As with so many Italian wines, it improves immeasurably with food, especially something that, like the wine, transports you to Tuscany. Yes, obviously a steak will do that, but let’s go a little more exotic and try a wild boar ragù, another staple of the Tuscan table. The season for pairings like this is upon us, so let’s make it happen! Cheers! — D.L.
