WINE OF THE WEEK - 2019 Pian delle Vigne Rosso di Montalcino — Wine It Up A Notch

HEY! GUESS WHAT?

YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO ALSO WATCH A VIDEO REVIEW OF THIS WINE!

Sometimes a label just grabs your attention, doesn’t it?

Who can deny it? We’ve all been caught up by a pretty label in our lifetimes and wine is equally as susceptible to this phenomenon as is anything else. When it comes to wine however, let’s hope that what is in the bottle lives up to what is on the bottle - am I right? Otherwise, the resultant disappointment can be swift and ruinous, lol.

I’m no stranger to buying wines on labels alone. But I usually only do it when I don’t know a wine. In the case of this week’s wine, I know it (and its producer) well. But, notwithstanding, it was the label that pulled me in and called on me to pick the bottle. It’s so elegant and bright and heartwarming. What can I say, it is a beautiful label in my eyes… (sigh)

Now here’s the good news. What is in the bottle is just as lovely as what is on the outside in this case! 100% truth! I promise you won’t be disappointed. :))

So with that, let’s get into this week’s wine!

2019 Pian delle Vigne Rosso di Montalcino

What does this wine cost?

$29.95. Definitely a little bit on the higher end for a Rosso di Montalcino but I think it is worth it!

What in the (wine) world is Rosso di Montalcino?

Rosso di Montalcino is a style of wine that is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes around the Tuscan town of Montalcino. This is the land of warm sunny days, rolling hills, quaint picturesque buildings and of course, good wine.

If Montalcino sounds familiar, it is because the famed wine Brunello (di Montalcino) also comes from this region. Though some say that Rosso di Montalcino is the poorer sibling of Brunello, I would caution you again thinking this way. The wines are very different, both in profile and stature.

One of the foremost differences is how long Rosso vs. Brunello di Montalcino are aged - with the former being aged for substantially less time. This is one of the main reasons that Rosso di Montalcino can be had at a far more reasonable price vs. Brunello. There is no question that Rosso di Montalcino is much more affordable across the entire category.

Having said that, there are some really strong examples of Rosso di Montalcino that can really hold their own against entry level Brunellos. In my humble opinion, this week’s wine is one such example.

Where does this wine come from?

As already noted, this wine comes from Tuscany, from the outskirts from a well-known town called Montalcino. To be more precise, the estate that produces this wine about 6 kms southeast from the town of Montalcino. The estate is called Pian delle Vigne (as is the wine), which translates to “plain of the vineyard”, and consists of 184 hectares of vines.

Why is this wine unique?

I think the combination of the producer (Antinori) and the slightly less popular and well-understood nature of this style of wine (relative to other Tuscan superstars like Brunello or Chianti) is what makes this wine unique.

Who makes this wine?

This wine is made by the Antinori family. The Antinori family is easily one of the most historically influential and significant wine-making families in Tuscany, if not Italy…or even globally. The Antinoris have a long standing history of wealth, influence, innovation and patronage and they own numerous estates within Tuscany, across Italy and even globally.

They have been making wine for 26 generations, since the late 1300s, and the company is still family run. The Antinoris also happen to have contributed significantly to the Super Tuscan movement and are the producers of blockbuster names in this category, such as Tignanello and Solaia.

Click here to learn more about the Marchesi Antinori.

Image of Antinori family — The Antinori family member who run Marchesi Antinori (*courtesy of the Antinori website)*

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Varieties - 100% Sangiovese

Soil types - clay

Vinification - aged in oak barriques for approximately 8 months

ABV - 14%

Residual Sugar - 3 g/L

My tasting notes:

A dark ruby red in the glass, this wine has a very inviting, juicy, earthy and warm nose that pulls you right in and invites you to inhale again and just a little bit more deeply this time. On the palate, the wine is layered and complex and displays sophistication and depth that is very impressive for a Rosso di Montalcino. Expect to find notes of ripe red fruit, a hint of blueberries, brown dirt, blue florals, a whiff of smoked meat and a dash of vanilla and cinnamon.

Overall, this wine is very elegant and almost as smooth as silk, with juicy ripe acidity, feathery tannins and a long finish. It is a very well balanced and well made wine.

Aging potential:

I think this wine is delicious right now but it will continue to evolve in the bottle for another 2-3 years.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Enjoy this dry-rubbed beef ribs, meat lasagne, salumi and hard, cured cheese or simply savour it on its own.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 93 points

This wine showcases the quality that Rosso di Montalcino can bring to the table. It comes close to tasting and feeling like a brunello in terms of its rich depth and is really quite stunning for the price.

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #467787.

FINAL VERDICT:

Buy it! In multiples. This is a really good “house” wine to have on hand. You can thank me later! :)

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine!……

Cheers…..XOXO