We are always thrilled to taste the first wines from a vaunted vintage-- in this case the 2021 Brunello di Montalcinos from Italy-- and when the wine matches the pre-release praise from the press? As Randy Newman has been known to sing: We love it!
The 2021 vintage, in terms of critical regard, has seen more high-scoring wines (95 points+) then was seen in the acclaimed 2016 vintage. This bodes well for the entirety of Montalcino and Italian wine in general. 2021 is an exceptional, high-quality, and "landmark" year for all of Italy and seems to have blessed Tuscany particularly well.
Fanti is an excellent example of how good this vintage is and is going to be down the road. The wine is complete, filled with broad, bright fruit scents and flavors (cherries, plum and mixed reddish berries, persimmon) while secondary touches of old growth forest, cedar and sandalwood, are joined by notes of minerality, light spice and a soupçon of herbals. The body, forward acidity and grippy tannins, is present from the start and foreshadows excellent cellaring potential while the aforementioned fruits and ripe nature make this eminently drinkable now. What to eat? Look for rich, savory, and umami-heavy dishes. Ideal pairings include Tuscan-style grilled steak (bistecca alla fiorentina), slow-cooked wild boar ragù, roasted lamb or mushroom risotto. Great with charcuterie and aged cheeses.
Tenuta Fanti Estate has been in the Fanti family since 1800. In the early 1970s Filippo, the current owner, transformed the property from a sharecropping company to a winery, marking an important turning point. Since then, the vineyards and olive groves have been cultivated by Filippo who, together with his daughter Elisa, follows every stage of production.
"One vintage that has truly proven itself is 2021. There is something magical about the 2021 Brunellos. The wines offer both near-term appeal and the balance to mature over the next 15 to 20 years. These are structured, youthfully tense wines, but it's not difficult to find pleasure in them today." - ERIC GUIDO, VINOUS
WINE SPECTATOR INSIDER 95 POINTS - "Packed with cherry and raspberry fruit, this red also exhibits rose, mineral and Mediterranean scrub aromas and flavors. Coiled tightly, picking up eucalyptus and gripping tannins on the finish."
The 2021 vintage, in terms of critical regard, has seen more high-scoring wines (95 points+) then was seen in the acclaimed 2016 vintage. This bodes well for the entirety of Montalcino and Italian wine in general. 2021 is an exceptional, high-quality, and "landmark" year for all of Italy and seems to have blessed Tuscany particularly well.
Fanti is an excellent example of how good this vintage is and is going to be down the road. The wine is complete, filled with broad, bright fruit scents and flavors (cherries, plum and mixed reddish berries, persimmon) while secondary touches of old growth forest, cedar and sandalwood, are joined by notes of minerality, light spice and a soupçon of herbals. The body, forward acidity and grippy tannins, is present from the start and foreshadows excellent cellaring potential while the aforementioned fruits and ripe nature make this eminently drinkable now. What to eat? Look for rich, savory, and umami-heavy dishes. Ideal pairings include Tuscan-style grilled steak (bistecca alla fiorentina), slow-cooked wild boar ragù, roasted lamb or mushroom risotto. Great with charcuterie and aged cheeses.
Tenuta Fanti Estate has been in the Fanti family since 1800. In the early 1970s Filippo, the current owner, transformed the property from a sharecropping company to a winery, marking an important turning point. Since then, the vineyards and olive groves have been cultivated by Filippo who, together with his daughter Elisa, follows every stage of production.
"One vintage that has truly proven itself is 2021. There is something magical about the 2021 Brunellos. The wines offer both near-term appeal and the balance to mature over the next 15 to 20 years. These are structured, youthfully tense wines, but it's not difficult to find pleasure in them today." - ERIC GUIDO, VINOUS
WINE SPECTATOR INSIDER 95 POINTS - "Packed with cherry and raspberry fruit, this red also exhibits rose, mineral and Mediterranean scrub aromas and flavors. Coiled tightly, picking up eucalyptus and gripping tannins on the finish."
