Gianfranco Soldera leaves the DOCG Brunello

After the terrible event at the end of last year, life continues and Gianfranco Soldera makes some major decisions.

Because of the pressure of some major players in the Montalcino region to mix other grape varieties than Sangiovese Grosso in the Brunello make his trust in the appellation disappear.

He doesn't believe the consortium can hold on to the 100% rule to only allow the Sangiovese Grosso as the only grape variety for the Brunello wine.

Therefore from now on he is leaving the consortium and bring his wines on the market as IGT.

See pres release below.

Source: Stappato, Belgium

Franco Biondi Santi

At almost 91 years but still active in the wine cellar disappears the heir of the inventors of the most searched wine of Italy. His grandfather Ferruccio selected out up to 800 selections of the Sangiovese to find the particular Sangiovese for the region.

The Brunello has lost its prince and Italy one of the great gentleman of the wine. The 91 years old Franco Biondi leaves an empty space as he died this week.

Franco Biondi was a heir of a wine makers family. In the second half of the years 800 his grandfather Ferruccio invented at the Greppo estate in Montalcino, still the center of the company, the Brunello as it is today, still keeping 2 bottles of pure Sangiovese of the year 1888.

His father, Tancredi, one of the most important enologist of his time defined the standard of production for Brunello and was an inspiration to many, and was the craftsman of the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1955, the only Italian wine mentioned in the USA-bible “Wine Spectator” between the 12 best wines of the world of the years 1900.

To the son Jacopo and the collaborators our sincere condolences.

Chianti - Chianti Classico

On the 16th of February started a week of tastings in Firenze of the Chianti anteprima and a few days later the Chianti Classico and the other well known Tuscany wines of Montepulciano and Montalcino.

I was not present all week but I think I have a good overview of the quality wines of Tuscany in the last, not yet released wines.
Is 2012 a good year? As I saw, it can be a good year but not a great year.

The consorzio of Chianti Classico, with their new president Sergio Zingarelli, from the Rocca della Macie estate, is planning to update the image of the “superior” image to the “simpler” Chianti.

It is starting by presenting the new more beautiful and vibrant logo of the “Back Rooster” logo. 

Chianti versus Chianti Classico

Barolo and Friends

13/11/2012

First of al thanks to “Barolo and Friends” for the organisation of this event in Brussels to bring a number of Piemontese wine growers, the consortium, and some food producers to the center of gastronomy and wine lovers of Europe.

Thanks to the organisation we could taste in a master class under professional leadership of Dir Rodriguez from Vino magazine a number of wines from Piemonte from different DOCG and DOC regions, as there are wines “Methodo Classico” or sparkling wines, made in the same manor of the French Champagne and Spumante, wines from the region of Dogliani with the specialty of Dolcetto wines; Barbera wines from all over the region; and of course a number of Barolo and Barbaresco wines.

It really was a superb tasting with different types of wines in every aspect.

After this we ware free to visit the stands with their representatives or owners. 

Lucky for me I had prepared a number of wine houses I wanted to taste, but because there was no lunch I had to limit my visits for tasting, but I also received some advise of good wine houses from some friends.

In the month of May I will visit Piemonte with a number of wine houses I like to taste again and bring report later.

Vandals in Montalcino

A black day in Montalcino.

The unthinkable has happened in Montalcino.
Vandals broke in at Case Basse da Gianfranco Soldera in Montalcino. They broke in into the cellars of the estate and opened all the taps of the barrels and vasques and let all the wine from 6 years of work, from 2007 till 2012 run into the sewers.

600 Hl of pure sangiovese grosso or Brunello in it purest form are lost.

Bordeaux 2010

I just had the chance to re-taste a great number of wines again from 2010 from members of the Grands Crus De Bordeaux,and I must say, I'm mostly disappointed whit the quality of the wines. Of course there are a number of superb wines, but they don't explain the prices they ask for. As for most of the other wines, they are good but lack personality and content. A few of the big houses ware even disappointing.
If you compare the prices for the 2011, wait for them and you will pay a lot less for good quality and perhaps in a few years you can buy the 2010 at normal prices because the international markets of India and China are bursting.

Timé

Col D'Orcia

Col D’Orcia

For many years I’m following the winery Col D’Orcia and am a great fan of their wines.

Because I organised a wine tasting of  Brunello’s, the time was right to taste again some wines of Col D’Orcia in a separate tasting. Of course, without any doubt,  the tasting was blind.

Col D’Orcia is historically very important in Montalcino. One can find records of they’re existence back to 1890 where the Franceschi family acquired the property, then known as Fattoria di Sant’Angelo in Colle. Already in 1933 they presented their Brunello in one of the early trade fair in Siena.