Harmony. Think Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Think Picasso’s The Old Guitarist.
It’s that moment when various elements come together to create magic. And magic really is the word, no?
Wine can also sip in harmony, and I can think of no better example than the IOsonoDonatella Brunello di Montalcino. Not one aspect of this wine is out of balance, rather tannin, body, acidity and sugar combine to create pure liquid harmony!
Made from 100% Sangiovese, expect a wine that can stand the test of time. Yet all the same, unlike a Chateauneuf du Pape in its terrible twos, you can enjoy a bottle right now as well. Smooth and seductive, it’s a wine that respects tradition while taking advantage of modern techniques to obtain unbelievable character.
For example, winemaker Donatella Cinelli Colombini ages the wine for nearly three years in large oak casks before transferring it to concrete eggs for a final six months to extract that last bit of velvety texture before bottling.
THAT is harmony.
Wine Searcher calls it “bold and structured,” and while that’s true, they miss the greater nuances of this juice. This wine is also soft and elegant, candid and juicy.
Coming from the gorgeous Tuscan slopes of Montalcino, a DOCG Brunello takes Sangiovese to the next level with strict regulations to ensure some of Italy’s best expression. Apart from vineyard restrictions, a Brunello must be made from 100% Sangiovese and age for at least four years (five for Riservas) before coming to market. Two of those four years must see oak, and it must be bottled at least four months before its release.
Though most Brunellos are of very good to outstanding quality, IOsonoDonatella is a benchmark of Montalcino’s finest. Certainly, such pedigree can be attributed to the cellar’s all-female staff, Italy’s first to make that claim.
Winemaking runs in Donatella’s blood, but it wasn’t until 1998 that she ventured out from her family’s estate to create her own. When searching for a cellar master, she realized that while men had to be booked years in advance, there were a plethora of women ready and able to take on the task. And so she created this project to prove that wine doesn’t depend at all on muscle, rather on passion, something all genders can possess. One sip of this masterpiece and you’ll surely agree.
Made only when the conditions and grape quality are superb, IOsonoDonatella is extremely limited, with a maximum of 600 bottles produced.
We have a few, grab them while you can to bring sweet harmony to your palate!