Brunello di Montalcino: Understanding and Appreciating One of Italy’s Greatest Wines
accorded to Brunello di Montalcino. With their earthy, wild-cherry
sensations and full structure yet smooth textures, top Brunellos have
the body and finesse of the most prestigious world-class bottlings from
Bordeaux, Burgundy and Piedmont.
Expert wine writer Kerin O'Keefe has
a deep personal knowledge of Tuscany and its extraordinary wine, and
her account is both thoroughly researched and readable. Organized as a
guided tour through Montalcino's geography, this essential reference
also makes sense of Brunello's complicated history, from its rapid rise
to the negative and positive effects of the 2008 grape-blending scandal
dubbed "Brunellogate."
Brunello di Montalcino helps wine
lovers maneuver their way among Montalcino's minefield of diversity by
breaking the vast commune down into seven distinct subzones, ranging
from the highest reaches around the town of Montalcino, which yield
austere, elegant wines destined for lengthy aging in cellars; down to
the lower plains in the deep south around Sant'Angelo Scalo, home to
immediate, muscular Brunellos with higher alchol and lower acidity; and
to all the other fascinating areas that lie between those two
geographical extremes.
O'Keefe also provides in-depth profiles of 58
carefully chosen wineries, big and small, famous and unknown, who
produce excellent Brunellos that best express the quintessential
chracteristics of both Sangiovese and the various subzones in
Montalcino.
List of Illustrations
Preface
Introduction. Brunello: A Modern-Day Phenomenon of Made in Italy
Part One. The Place, the Grape, the History, and the Wine
1. Montalcino
2. Temperamental Sangiovese: Location, Location, Location
3. Birth of a New Wine
4. Brunello Comes of Age
5. Boom Years and the Loss of Tipicità
6. The Brunellogate Scandal
7. Brunello Today and Tomorrow: The Return to Tipicità, or Business as Usual?
Part Two. Leading Producers by Subzone
8. Montalcino
9. Bosco and Torrenieri
10. Tavernelle
11. Camigliano
12. Sant'Angelo
13. Castelnuovo dell'Abate
Part Three. Beyond Brunello: Other Wines and Local Cuisine
14. Montalcino's Other Wines: Rosso di Montalcino, Moscadello, Sant'Antimo, Chianti Colli Senesi and IGT Toscana
15. Brunello, Rosso, and Food Pairing
Appendix A. Vintage Guide to Brunello
Appendix B. Brunello at a Glance
Notes
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Reviews (46)
As Rewarding as a good Brunello....
i wanted to read about Brunello on the plane as my wife and I were on our way to Montalcino. (1) I got an education. Previously, I knew a little, just enough to dangerous-s they say. But, after reading the book, it enabled me to buy some really nice bottles of Brunello that I might have over-looked or just not developed the interest to find. (2) This book could have been drier than even the worst Brunello. Instead, O'Keefe's writing displayed both a lively wit, a depth of the subject, and a love for Brunello. Like Brunello Reserva, it was surprisingly good. Standing in a wine store in both Montalcino and San Quirico, I remembered stories about many of the brands displayed from her book. Her book certainly increased my love of Brunello, and it certainly enriched my trip to Tuscany. In fact, I now own a few bottles of 2010 Brunello that I would not have put the effort into finding had it not been for her book.
Loved it!
Phenomenal. A beautiful explanation of the history of the region, the geology and lay of the land, the producers and potential future challenges for brunello makers. This book is organized in the exact way that you want for a wine book and it delivers on that structure with just enough detail to keep things interesting but not too much to bog you down. Great read for anyone who appreciates Italian wines.
Brunello for Beginners and Experts
I love Brunello, but after reading some of the posted reviews, I was afraid this book would be too technical. I bought it anyway and was pleasantly surprised. Yes it does cover technical subjects, like clones and vinfication, but the author writes in a very easy to understand and entertaining style, so I followed everything and learned a lot. The best part was the breakdown of Montalcino into subzones. I've been thrilled by many Brunellos, but disappointed in others and now I know why. I've already tried some of O'Keefe's suggested Brunellos, and have loved them. Highly recommend this book for Brunello fans looking for the best from Montalcino. As a last note, the photos by Paolo Tenti are beautiful and complement the book very well.
Great read if you want to drill down into Brunello Di Montlacino. This is not for generalist.
If you're well past wine geekdom 101 and want to get serious about a particular region like Brunello Di Montalcino, this is a must read. I already have three "encylopedia of wine" books that do a decent job of skiming every region on the planet. Lately, I'm prefering to buy and read books that dig more deeply into a particular region I already love like Burgundy or one I want to know a lot more about. I don't think I'm being a wine snob when I say this book is not for casual wine drinkers unless, perhaps you've traveled the region extensively and accidentally fell in love with this unique expression of the Sangiovese grape. This is a refreshingly honest take on Brunello sans the 100pt scale from the critics. My only beef with this book is I'd like to contact the author with a few questions. Since the book is written with passionate wine geeks in mind, I would have included an email address for follow up questions in the book itself or on the author's website.
An Italian wine lovers education
Having been a wine lover for some time, I never realized how complex the great wines are. Kerin gives you a complete education on Brunello di Motalcino, its historical background, how it's made and a description of the top vinyards. If you want to learn about Brunello this book is for you.
Know your Brunello.
Incredible document on the various regions of the 'Grand Cru' of Sangiovese. You will be introduced of all the vintners of note, with detailed descriptions of the 'house' style. It clearly comes from a long personal connection to the region and its growers.
This is a book for Brunello lovers
I got this book as I was interested in learning more about Brunello wines and read the positive reviews. I'm glad I did as the book is very enjoyable to read and explains the history behind Brunello di Montalcino. This author is very passionate about Brunello and you can feel this passion when reading the book. The classical Brunello style, the Brunellogate scandal, and the beauty of terroir driven Brunello wines is covered in this book. I enjoyed reading the book found it easy to read and had a greater understanding of Montalcino and Brunello after that.The authors recommended Brunello producers and vintages are covered in the book and that alone is worth buying the book for those who want to collect Brunello wines.
Written in wine.
Fabulous research and information. I have had many conversations about wine and am excited to incorporate this knowledge with my friends. I also appreciate the research done at individual wineries, which will enable me to choose which ones I would rather visit.
Good information on Brunello
Nice detail on the history of Brunello. Excellent write-up on individual vineyards and wineries. The book was copyrighted in 2012 which makes it a little dated. I would have like some information on the fabulous 2010 vintage and the wines produced from that vintage.
Terrior for Brunello's
The Montalcino's need to develop a system to identify specific zones, regions and elevations to accurately present their wine and reward those producers who have stayed true to their heritage.
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