Sunday 17 October 2021

A 1990 Brunello di Montalcino Tasting Dinner


A couple of weeks ago I arranged a 1990 Brunello di Montalcino tasting dinner. Notes of the opening Champagne´s are here and of the two sweet bottles that ended the evening are here.

Flight I
1990 Brunello di Montalcino, Carpineto
A soft, round, mature nose with notes of dried cherries, forest floor, hot gravel and a dried up vanilla pod. Very nice.
The taste is medium bodied and mature with velvety cherry fruit, some dry tannins and a long, warm finish. Mature but still packing a punch. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2021/09)

1990 Brunello di Montalcino, Casale del Bosco
A  deep, dense nose with notes of dried up cherry jam, fir wood, mushrooms and a whiff of stale Coca-Cola! A tad foursquare.
The taste is dry and warm with notes of dried cherries, mushrooms, earth and wood. Medium long. Lively but a tad dry.
85p   (tasted 2021/09)


1990 Brunello di Montalcino, Castello di Camigliano
A large, structured nose with notes of ripe cherries, violets, rosemary and chocolate wafers. Very, very good. Lots of life.
The taste is big and steady with notes of chocolate covered cherries, warm tiles, violets and tobacco. A very fine warmth. Long and lingering. Bottles like this will go on for 5+ years.
91p   (tasted 2021/09)

Flight II
1990 Brunello di Montalcino CastelGiocondo, Marchesi di Frescobaldi
A deep, refined nose with notes of black cherries, rosemary, Tuscan gravel and violets. Very fine. Some maturity but not overly so.
The taste is tigth and fine with notes of cherry pips, tobacco, violets and bay leaves. Very long with some still chewy tannins. Very fine. 5+ years.
92p   (tasted 2021/09)

1990 Brunello di Montalcino, San Filippo
A lovely, complex nose with notes of ripe cherries, cold coffee, fried rosemary and mahogany. A very fine sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is taut and focused with notes of violets, moist earth, bay leaves and chocolate covered cherries. A very, very long finish with a silky finish. Really fine. 3+ years.
93p   (tasted 2021/09)


1990 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio Antico
%&¤#"#¤%&!! Corked! But luckily, the only bottle.
Not rated   (tasted 2021/09)

1990 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna del Fiore, Colombini
A deep, round nose with notes of black cherries, road dust, clay and tobacco. A fine warmth. Fully mature.
The taste is long, tight and dry with notes of dried cherries, tobacco, asphalt and dry chocolate. Very, very good in a ascetic way.
90p   (tasted 2021/09)

Flight III
1990 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso, Ciacci Piccolomini d´Aragona
A very finely tuned, refined nose with some maturity and notes of ripe black cherries, Christmas spices, violets, leather and forest floor. Very fine.
The taste is seedy and concentrated with notes of sweet violets, dried cherries, tobacco and iron. A taut finish with fine silky tannins. 5+ years. 
93p   (tasted 2021/09)

1990 Brunello di Montalcino, Livio Sassetti
A deep, dark, beautiful nose with notes of an autumn forest, chestnuts, ripe cherries and herbs. Finely perfumed. Lovely.
The taste is elegant and complex with notes of black cherries, fried rosemary, licorice and sealing wax. The finish is long, balanced and perfectly mature. Great wine.
95p   (tasted 2021/09)


1990 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Costanti
A spicy, mature nose with notes of dried cherries, Christmas spices, old leather and dried herbs. A fine warmth. Very deep.
The taste is tight and dry with notes of dried cherries, iron/blood, gravel, cold coffee and earth. Very long. A fine intensity. Fully mature. Very, very good.
91p   (tasted 2021/09)

1990 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Schiana d´Asino, Mastrojanni
Idiosyncratic and odd, there were differences of opions around the table about this wine. I thought it was brilliant. The nose soars up from the glass with notes of smoke, ripe (overripe) cherries, tar, dry licorice, earth and some balsamic notes. High, intense and utterly gorgeous.
The taste is vivid and high-pitched with notes of candle grease, dried cherries, fried rosemary, blue skiwax, tobacco and iron. The finish is long, long and complex. Not for the faint hearted. Stunning.
97p   (tasted 2021/09)


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