Pian Dell'Orino Pian Dell'Orino Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante 2014 750ml

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante boasts a smoky mix of grilled sage and red currants that gives way to mint and tangerine notes fighting hard to be seen. This is surprisingly lifted and vibrant for the vintage, with tart red berries that cascade across the palate, accelerated by brisk acids and a salty flourish toward the close. It leaves a saturation of tannins, creating a youthfully dry wine with lingering hard red candies. The 2017 will need a little time to soften, but it has the balance to excel. There will be no Bassolino di Sopra in 2017 because all the fruit was used to bolster the Vigneti del Versante.

I’ve always said that Jan Hendrik Erbach is a maniac when it comes to the details. This wine is normally called “Vigneti del Versante,” with the Italian word for vineyards (“vigneti”) in plural because fruit comes from more than one site, but just this one time, the wine is called “Vigneto” (in the singular tense) because fruit was sourced from a single vineyard instead. The 2014 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto del Versante sees fruit sourced from the Scopeta vineyard (planted in 2003), and this single-vineyard expression offers spicy fruit with dark berries and plum. The wine shows great fiber and density, with much of that power coming from the heavier soils of the vineyard site. This is a beautiful expression from a difficult vintage. The wine will be released this autumn.

Bright red. Flint and rosemary nuances complement the red cherry and mineral aromas and flavors. Juicy and fresh, this medium-bodied Brunello showcases a refined mouthfeel and a typical cool-climate personality. A hint of sweet spices on the long finish is very typical of Sesta, where Pian dell’Orino’s Scopeta vineyard is located (in 2014, the Brunello Vigneti del Versante is a blend of grapes from the Scopeta and Bassolino di Sopra vineyards). Only 1,700 bottles made compared to 9,000 in very good vintages. (Ian D’Agata)