Lockdown launched many innovative ways for us to connect with each other, thus began the rise of online wine tastings. Sitting on your couch, joining others around the country, with a glass in hand, while you shut out the world, was a guilty pleasure. It was also a brilliant, accessible way for people to connect over wine and discover new vineyards and vintages.
But while the world stitched back together and in-person tastings began to re-open in their own pockets of the city, West London Wine School have still carried their online tastings forth, to this day.
Run by Jimmy Smith, with his signature welcome, “Good evening, can you all hear me?” and in partnership with the Consorzio, Brunello di Montalcino was invited into our homes, though nine remarkable vintages – all from 2020, to appreciate the irony.
Cosy and snug, in our pyjamas or sweatshirts, we were taken on a sensory pilgrimage across the sun-drenched hills and ancient cobbles of Tuscany. From the cooler, stylish north-east, to the warmer, brassier southern estates. Each glass was a presentation of a new vineyard, offering different perspectives on Italy’s most revered expression of Sangiovese.
All tastings come in the form of mini-bottles, sent directly to your door and accompanied with a tasting sheet so you can enjoy making your own notes.
During the presentation, a comment section was kept open for guests to fire away their thoughts, notes and opinions on the wines or ask questions about the winemakers and vineyards. After nine glasses and no spittoons, it’s always a fun read at the end!
2020 Vision
Smith admits with an excited smile, “Normally, I’d hold back on releasing a tasting from the current vintage. Brunello can be powerful, structured, grippy, even drying when young. But 2020… these are approachable wines. They’re fresher, brighter and beautifully open.”
He recalls his annual pilgrimage to Benvenuto Brunello in Montalcino, where hundreds of wines are eagerly poured for press and educators. This is where he discovered the 2020 vintage to share amongst us. “Last year, I tasted nearly two hundred Brunellos. The 2020s stood out. They’re charming. You don’t have to wait twenty years to drink them.”
Madonna di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino was born in the beautiful medieval, hilltop town of Montalcino, in the south of Siena.
Made exclusively from the Sangiovese Grosso grape, Brunello inherits its’ depth and structure from thriving in clay and galestro soils, layered over millennia of seabed sediment and volcanic shifts.
The town itself is a living Madonna, keeping a divine eye over the Sangiovese vineyards and shimmering Tyrrhenian Sea. Smith pulls up a beautiful collegiate of pictures of Montalcino, so we can imagine ourselves nestled in this Italian storybook realm. Perched 564 metres above sea level and encircled by 13th-century walls, Smith warns, “It’s hard to reach. There’s no train station, it’s a two-hour drive north of Rome. But that’s what makes it magical.”
Tasting Tuscany
Smith weaves the Italian ‘La famiglia’ into Brunello, by dividing it into three stylistic families. In a reflection of their Medieval, noble ancestors, we have:
1.) Rustic Traditional: Brown-hued, savoury and tertiary, which consists of leather, spice and dried peel.
2.) Modern Powerful: Darker, oak-driver, plush and concentrated.
3.) Bright & Elegant: Lighter, fresher, with chalky tannins and perfume.
The following wines span these styles, revealing a truly diverse collection:
1.) Donatella Cinelli Colmbini – Casato Prime Donne | @donatellacinellicolombini
“Sisters are doing it for themselves” is the mantra to remember as this first wine is swirled. Proudly run by an all-female winery team, with a commitment to organic farming, Donatella Cinelli Colmbini is one of Montalcino’s most pioneering estates. Smith described this Brunello as, “a wine that could breach modernity and rusticity.” With lively acidity, supple tannins and a mouth-watering finish, this wine has both poise and personality. A nice homage to their winemakers and as Smith concludes, “2020 in a nutshell.” It’s a wine we can enjoy amongst friends on lazy summer evenings, dipping rustic bread in olive oil and picking at a charcuterie board of pecorino cheese.
2.) Lambardi Brunello di Montalcino | @lambardimontalcino
The second stop in our tour is a small, family run producer on the Northern slope. Upon first gaze, smell and taste, this wine carries a forest of dark fruits in one sip, such as black cherries, plum and even dark chocolate. Smith recommends this as, “a wine for cellaring.” The tannins are heavy on the palate, suggesting we enjoy this wine with a juicy tomato and meat dish, such as a bolognese, ragu or a slow-cooked lamb.
3.) Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @castigliondelbosco
Power. Elegance. Tradition. This is what defines Castiglion del Bosco. Owned by the Ferragamo family and a founding member of the Brunello Consorzio, this estate spans 2,000 hectares of majestic, UNESCO-protected land. Aged for 24 months in French oak, the 2020 vintage, from their Capanna vineyard, gives us ripe berries, pepper and floral spices on the nose, with raspberries and hints of vanilla on the palate. I would enjoy this wine with a cheese centred meal, such as macaroni and cheese, a pasta bake or a cacio e pepe.
4.) Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @belpoggio.wines
From winemaker, Francesco Adami, Belpoggio is a newer estate, that represents the Classic Sangiovese touch. High acidity, lifted and expressive. On the nose, there’s a festive collection of cranberries, pomegranate and baking spices, while the palate reveals sour cherries and tannins that appear quite chalky. With Christmas peeping around the corner, I would pair this wine with a roast lamb, venison, or duck.
5.) Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @mastrojanni1975
This estate is founded by a Roman family. A lawyer, by the name of Gabriele Mastrojanni, in 1975, took a farmland known for sheep grazing and planted vineyards amongst the herd. Upon tasting the vintage, Smith laughs, “You could casually drink this. And I don’t say that lightly about Brunello!” It’s a testament to the pedigree of this wine. There’s a fresh, earthy smell upon the nose, of soaked red fruit, cedar and sweet herbs. The tannins are refined, with a long, elegant finish. Therefore, I would suggest a rich Tuscan ragu, with pappardelle pasta, to enjoy alongside a – casual - glass of Mastroianni!
6.) Ventolaio Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @ventolaio_montalcino
Travelling along the southern route from Montalcino, we come across Ventolaio, a vineyard farm that enjoys warmer days and cooler nights. On the nose, we have an autumnal smell of wet leaves upon a forest floor, cedar and dried red fruits. Enjoy this wine, on a quiet night in, whilst twirling a forkful of spaghetti Bolognese.
7.) Mocali Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @mocali_brunello
Enjoy a Tuscan autumn in a glass, a “Brunello for those who can’t wait,” says Smith. Earthy, truffle complexity and a rich, warm, layered palate, Mocali remains true to its’ terroir. With flavours of dark liquorice, spices, mushrooms and wet forest floor, this wine will make a perfect seasonal pairing of pumpkin or butternut squash soup. You can also match the mushroom flavours on the palate, with a smooth, buttery mushroom pasta.
8.) Fornacina Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @cantina__fornacina
Sitting just outside the town centre, near one of Montalcino’s popular wine shops, we have a small traditional producer in Fornacina. This wine holds notes of black tea, cracked pepper and dried herbs, with rustic tannins that reflect the old-school Brunello craftsmanship. Smith notes this wine is “built for the long haul.” Savour this vintage, with rich, earthy dishes such as mushroom risotto or pasta, with truffle butter.
9.) Voliero Brunello di Montalcino 2020 | @uccelliera
Winemaker and restaurateur-at-heart Andrea Cortonesi (also known for Uccelliera) has made this wine a cult favourite. There are only 600 cases made. “Elegance with structure. Freshness, spice and a rustic edge.” Smith takes one last sip and nods, “This is a Brunello that flies.” A salty cheese such as pecorino or parmesan is a perfect counterpoint to the high acidity. You can also pair the wine with a strong meat or game dish, like roast boar or duck. This wine will also be welcome as an after-dinner treat, to enjoy with a classic biscotti or liquor-filled dark chocolate.
Before We Sign Off
The evening ends with us still in our homes, in our cosy clothes, but now much more enriched, in both wine and knowledge. Smith concludes, “There’s a Brunello for every palate. Rustic, modern or somewhere in between. And the 2020s? They’re joyful. They’re wines you can actually drink now.”
Tuscany, history, storytelling and family ventures, were encapsulated in nine glasses, with quiet grandeur, all through a computer screen. Whether you’re studying for WSET or enjoy learning about wines, both tasters and lovers alike, will enjoy these virtual trips through bespoke vineyards.
Find out more about West London Wine School tastings here.
Jimmy Smith: @winewithjimmy