To Brunello di Montalcino lovers, vintages are very important. 2016 was heralded as a once-in-a-lifetime vintage for this subset of Tuscany, replacing the previous great one of 2015. Although the 2017 vintage was considered less than optimal, the current spotlight of interest for Brunello lovers is the 2018 vintage being released. Called by many a classic vintage of Montalcino, meaning big, powerful, and age-worthy.

“Climatic conditions in Montalcino in 2018 were near ideal, with average temperatures and rainfall totals. As daytime conditions were not too hot during the summer and early autumn, ripening was even, and combined with cool nights, the grapes offered very good color as well as acidity. Predictions now are for these wines to offer excellent aging potential, with peak at 15-20 years, perhaps longer.” Winescholarguild.com

Col d’Orcia, which means the hill overlooking the Orcia River, is located on the outskirts of the medieval hilltop village of Montalcino in Tuscany’s Siena province. The estate’s winemaking history began in the 1700s. The Cinzano family purchased the estate in 1973. Today they are the third-largest owner of Brunello vineyards in Montalcino and the largest organic vineyard in Tuscany. Today there are approximately 200 producers in Montalcino, but Cinzano’s Col d’Orcia is one of the most well-known.

At the time of its purchase by the Cinzanos, Col d’Orcia was planted with various crops, as was common, including wheat, tobacco, olives, and grapes. One of the main buildings is, in fact, the grain mill of the old Fattoria di Sant’Angelo in Colle. In 1973 there were just a few hectares dedicated to grapes. Still, planting expanded during this time under the leadership of Count Alberto Marone Cinzano and reached 70 hectares (173 acres) by the early 1980s. In 1992 Marone Cinzano's son Francesco took over. He continued to increase plantings to the current level of 144 hectares (356 acres), of which 108 (267 acres) are Brunello-designated vineyards, making Col d’Orcia the third largest owner of Brunello vineyards in Montalcino. Over the last few years, Francesco Marone Cinzano has overseen a gradual and quiet conversion to biodynamic farming, one example of many quality-driven decisions that separate Col d’Orcia from Montalcino’s other large producers.

Col d’Orcia is a champion of biodiversity. Located in a natural park, also a UNESCO site, the Cinzano family feels a duty to protect this unique environment. The entire estate includes vineyards, gardens, olive groves, tobacco, and wheat fields, and 50 percent of the land is still natural woodland filled with Mediterranean shrubs. Col d’Orcia has always been conscientious of the environment, and in 1990 they began the research and development of cover crops with the University of Florence. In 1995, they started using natural fertilizers, such as vine pruning and manure. In 2010, they transformed the winery to organic, and today Col d’Orcia is the largest certified organic wine-producing farm in Tuscany.

In producing this wine, they use a process called delestage. Being dumber than most, I had to look it up. “Delestage is a two-step “rack-and-return” process in which fermenting red wine juice is separated from the grape solids by racking and then returned to the fermenting vat to re-soak the solids.” They drain off the free-run juice so that the cap slowly falls to the bottom of the vat while the wine is allowed to drain completely under the weight of the grape solids. The cap is left to sit for a couple of hours, breaking down the walls of the grapes and allowing more extraction from the skins and seeds. The fermenting wine is returned to the vat over the cap using a gentle, high-volume pump to thoroughly soak the grape solids for maximum color and flavor extraction while minimizing the extraction of harsh phenols. This process is repeated daily until the end of fermentation. A little like the pump-over technique but letting the cake rest and concentrate between each episode.

Manual harvest with a rigorous selection of the best grapes in the vineyard and cellar. Temperature-controlled 18–20-day fermentation in shallow, stainless-steel tanks designed to extract tannin and color efficiently but delicately. The wine is aged three years in 660, 1320, and 1981 gallon Slavonian and Allier (French) oak casks, followed by one-year refinement in bottle.

Pleasant fruity notes of black cherry and jam, followed by the classic hints of spices and vanilla. The profile is warm, with ripe and clear tannins. Intense and persistent, leading to a long finish.

This promising Brunello is hallmarked by pretty cherry, strawberry, currant, and floral aromas and flavors. Starts out elegant and lacy, then the dense matrix of tannins emerges, giving different character to the long finish. Reveals wild herb and mineral notes that add depth. Wine Spectator 94 pts

Santiago Marone Cinzano explains that in 2018, délestage played a key role, especially over extended periods of 8-12 hours, allowing delicate skins to macerate with a reduced amount of juice in order to coax out sufficient concentration. Beautifully weighted, it’s full yet agile with enough stuffing to carry it over the next decade. Above all, it underscores the freshness of the vintage: fragrances reveal themselves slowly but are very much in the floral spectrum, with cherry and thyme blossoms lifted by traces of pepper. Crunchy red plum and succulent cherry flavors take over on the palate, where youthful grippy tannins need some time to yield. Decanter 93 pts

Roasted herbs, wild cherries, thyme, and dried mushrooms on the nose. Medium to full body with silky yet firm tannins supporting supple and fresh layers. Excellent length with a delectably savory character. James Suckling 93 pts

Masses of crushed cherries and cloves give way to nuances of spiced citrus peels and cedar as the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino comes to life in the glass. This is round and pliant on the palate, with a balanced inner sweetness contrasting its mineral-tinged acids and tart wild berry fruits. Grippy tannins mount toward the close yet fail to slow the 2018's momentum, as notes of salted licorice are left to resonate under an air of dried roses. This is a deep and characterful rendition of Col d’Orcia’s Brunello, but patience will be required to unlock all of its charms. Vinous 93 pts

Full and enveloping with purple floral perfume, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is lush with violets, blue fruit, black raspberry, and leather. This moves seamlessly to the palate, where it takes on even more depth, with iron richness, meat, red cherry, raspberry, cedar, and fresh soil. A balanced wine for its style, it is a lovely expression where more warmth is not needed. Best after 2025. Jeb Dunnuck 93 pts

A certified organic wine, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino has dark fruit, bold cherry, earthy notes, and a hint of black olive or scorched earth. The wine is generous and round in terms of mouthfeel, with a streamlined mid-palate and plenty of Sangiovese acidity to keep things lively and fresh. The tannins are well-managed and silky. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 93 pts

Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2018

Needless to say, I did not have any trouble lining up wine imbibers to taste and analyze this wine. Dena calls it doing our homework; I keep reminding myself that someone has to do it. The color is what you would expect, a dark garnet. Aromas would be classified as OMG, this is great. Orange peel and clove with earthy components. In the mouth, there are racy raspberry, plum, and saddle leather balanced by fine silky tannins and acids. It was undeniable that the wine was tightly compacted and needed time to breathe, if not age, in your cellar. The wine had an extremely long dusty dark cherry finish. As we swirled our glasses (besides our staff offering noises of aww), new aromas wafted out of the glass, and the wine took on more weight and complexity. I was looking forward to trying some on my way out for the evening, but I now realize it was a ridiculous thought that any would be left after a couple of hours; it was that good. I know a couple of our staff will be adding to their vertical collection of this wine, and I have a limited amount to sell, so if interested, don’t hesitate.

Regular Price: $49.99

*Sale Price is on 3 or more bottles

Wine is packed in a 12-bottle case

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