Since its first vintage in 1981, Cerbaiona has produced some of the most sensational—if hard to get—Brunello di Montalcino wines of the modern era. Working with just three hectares of vineyards, founder Diego Molinari developed a rabid cult following for his impeccable Sangiovese from Montalcino’s eastern slopes, but there was also a ‘super-Tuscan’-style blend lurking in the shadows, at a remarkably fair price. That would be today’s wine, which carries a “Toscana” designation but is firmly rooted in Cerbaiona’s tiny corner of Montalcino.
While most of Cerbaiona’s three hectares are devoted to Sangiovese for Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino bottlings, Molinari gave over a small amount of territory to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Malvasia Nera, which found their way into blends with Sangiovese not used in Brunello/Rosso production. Legend is that today’s IGT bottling was originally conceived as a ‘house’ wine to be served to visitors, but it caught on commercially—and how could it not? Who wouldn’t want to experience an elite terroir and producer at this price? Answer: No one with any sense! Comprised of estate-grown Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, this has been a sommelier ‘secret weapon’ wine for years, easily besting other Tuscan blends costing much, much more. There’s just one problem: 2014 is likely the last vintage of this wine as currently constructed; new ownership at Cerbaiona has begun an extensive replanting/clonal selection program with a focus on Sangiovese. It’s the end of an era, so to speak, but this 2014 caps it in grand style—it’s not merely a piece of history but a seriously over-achieving, age-worthy red, so stock up!
This wine also happens to be a product of a vintage in which Cerbaiona did not produce any Brunello di Montalcino, only Rosso, owing to difficulties ripening the Sangiovese to “Brunello” levels of intensity. That’s where the Merlot (40%) and Cabernet (10%) came in, lending power, fruit concentration, and structure to the perfumed Sangiovese. I often steer away from Sangiovese blends containing a high percentage of the Bordeaux varieties, as the latter often dominate, but the success of Cerbaiona’s ’14 is that retains a strong Montalcino identity—woodsy, savory, aromatic—while also offering a nod to classified growth Bordeaux. Not bad at all for $36, if you ask me.
In the fall of 2015, the 84-year-old Molinari sold Cerbaiona to a group of investors led by American venture capitalist Gary Rieschel and expat winemaker/manager Matthew Fioretti, a onetime wine importer in San Francisco who moved to Italy years ago to work in all facets of production and sales. He landed at one of Montalcino’s jewel-box properties, which includes a 16th-century manor house, Renaissance-era gardens, and a private chapel. With the help of winemaking consultant Paolo Caciorgna and viticulturist Ruggero Mazzilli, Fioretti has set about re-planting portions of the estate and expanding its holdings ever-so-slightly, with a focus on Sangiovese exclusively. In the future, this IGT bottling is likely to be a varietal Sangiovese designed for early drinking, making today’s 2014 a true “end of an era” bottling.
The 2014 IGT was aged 18 months in larger-sized Slavonian oak casks before bottling, and, as I noted above, all the components of the blend (Sangiovese-Merlot-Cabernet) make their voices heard in this powerful wine. In the glass, it shines a deep ruby-red moving to garnet and pink at the rim, offering up a heady perfume of ripe black cherry, cassis, red currant, tobacco, dark chocolate, espresso grounds, and dusty earth. Full-bodied and nicely fleshed out on the palate, it is highly enjoyable now but is likely to age well for 5-7 more years at a minimum. The tannins are relatively fine-grained, and while there’s a velvety lushness to the texture, there’s also lots of freshness lending vibrancy and lift. Especially as I look out the window at yet another cold, rainy northern California day, I crave this wine—and a good old-fashioned osso buco to go with it. So, I guess there’s a trip to the butcher in my future; I suggest you join me! Cheers!
