Among the descriptors critics used to describe the 2013 vintage in Montalcino were “old-school,” “sleek,” “radiant,” and “age-worthy.” I’d characterize today’s wine from Fanti as “all of the above” and add another critical adjective: affordable! We’ve been really impressed by 2013 Brunellos in general, but this one’s pitch-perfect balance and bright perfume really sets it apart.
Not only is it delicious and quite approachable now, it has the kind of tension that bodes well for long-term aging. Most important for me, as a self-styled Sangiovese purist, are this wine’s resolutely classical proportions. I’ve said it a million times before, but Brunello is not at its best when it’s a big, bruising monolith; I much prefer when a Brunello has one foot in Montalcino and the other in Burgundy. Winemaker Elisa Fanti and team captured the long, slow, relatively cool 2013 vintage beautifully, and at this excellent price, you can’t afford to miss adding at least a few bottles to your cellar!
The Fanti family has been making wine and olive oil in Montalcino for more than 200 years, but their modern history starts with Filippo Fanti’s takeover of the property in the early 1970s. Although their holdings cover more than 300 hectares, Fanti preserved the lion’s share of that as woodland, planting about 50 hectares of vineyards (still a substantial amount) and about 25 of olive groves. Headquartered in the hamlet of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, on the south slope of the Montalcino hill, the Fanti estate is still overseen by Filippo along with his daughter, Elisa, who joined him in 2007.
Today’s wine is the estate’s “base” Brunello, though there’s nothing basic about it. Fruit for the ’13 was hand-harvested in late September/early October and fermented in stainless steel, spending about 30 days macerating on its skins. It was aged 28 months in a 50%-50% mix of French oak barriques and much larger Slavonian oak botti, followed by a year of bottle aging in their cellars before its initial release. The 2013s have now been in the US market for more than a year, and as this one demonstrates, they are settling into themselves nicely: Fanti’s is really expressive and delicious now, with fine-grained tannins that are well-integrated—even at this “young” age!
In the glass, Fanti’s 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is a deep ruby moving to garnet at the rim, with a seductive nose of brambly blackberry, cherry kirsch, wild strawberry, plum, anise, quinine bark, underbrush, and leather. These sensations carry through to the silky, medium-plus-bodied palate, which vibrates with freshness that drives a long and aromatic finish. Balance is the name of the game here, so while you’re encouraged to try some now, this will continue to improve over the next 10-15 years in your cellar. Decant it 45 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and serve it with the decadent recipe attached—truffled roast chicken! This is luxurious red wine with tremendous refinement and tension, so cook accordingly. Enjoy!
