SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch celebrates a Montalcino favorite that has not only stood the test of time but remained one of the best buys in an ever-more-expensive region.
If you asked me to write an Italian wine list for your restaurant, I can almost guarantee that Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino would be on it. Why? Because if I want to share a quintessential Montalcino Sangiovese with guests, at an approachable price point, there are a handful of producers on my short list—with Mastrojanni right up there at the top. It’s like a favorite album, or movie…I know it’s going to deliver and I don’t ever seem to tire of it. A big reason for this is the steady, non-interventionist hand of one of Tuscany’s all-time great Sangiovese whisperers, Maurizio Castelli, whose long association with Mastrojanni as a consultant has endured changes in ownership (and fashion) over the years. First and foremost, today’s 2012 is a wine driven by the perfumed aromas of the Sangiovese grape, which, when properly handled, can approximate many of the woodsy, underbrush-y characteristics of Burgundian Pinot Noir. Brunello di Montalcino is ultimately a heftier, more intense red than even the biggest Burgundies, but the best Brunellos nevertheless have lift and energy despite their size. They dance rather than stomp. This 2012 is a dancer, and a foolproof collectible for any well-curated cellar. We’ve been given a generous allocation and can offer up to six bottles per customer until it sells out. This is reference-point Sangiovese, folks: Don’t miss it!
Founded in 1975 by a Roman lawyer, Gabriele Mastrojanni, this picture-book property was mostly “virgin” land when Mastrojanni first arrived. Occupying a scenic, solitary perch outside Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the southeast corner of the Montalcino appellation, Mastrojanni has long been one of those “south slope” Brunellos capable of great finesse and aromatic high notes, despite the fact that its vineyards open up toward Tuscany’s Maremma, and the Mediterranean, to the south and west. In 2008 the estate was purchased by Francesco Illy, whose Gruppo Illy has expanded well beyond coffee and also owns the Montalcino estate Podere Le Ripi. They run a handsome little resort on the Mastrojanni property and have made a point of emphasizing continuity on the winemaking/viticulture side, having retained the team that includes Castelli as well as estate manager Andrea Machetti.
What I’ve always appreciated most about Mastrojanni Brunello is that it is simultaneously sleek and authentically woodsy and evocative of place. This 2012 spent a total of 36 months aging in a mixture of Allier oak casks of varying sizes and ages (the smallest being of 16-hectoliter capacity, much larger than a barrique), and there’s a kiss of oak spice offering a well-modulated counterpoint to the deep, clean, resonant core of red cherry fruit. In the glass, it’s a deep garnet red with slight hints of orange at the rim (a typical Sangiovese appearance, even in youth), with a seductive nose of brandied black cherries, blackberry, red currant, sandalwood, underbrush, and warm spices. Nearly full-bodied, it has linearity and focus on the palate and, perhaps most notably, carries its alcohol exceptionally well (this is a function of good acidity fending off the alcohol heat). Decant this wine about 60 minutes before serving in Bordeaux stems at around 60 degrees (the cooler temperature with highlight the fruit and perfume). After our recent trip to Tuscany I’m still on a self-imposed steak moratorium, but I do think some roasted meat is necessary here—one of the game birds would be great, and I like the flavors in the attached recipe from my old New York pal Anne Burrell. It feels, and tastes, Tuscan. Enjoy! — D.L.
