This 12 hectare vineyard, owned by Feruccio and Ida Ricci, is one of the many located in the hills of Montalcino. Like their neighbors, they produce one of Italy’s most important wines, the Brunello. I have had the opportunity to taste a variety of these wines and am always impressed by how different each brand can taste. The littlest change in climate or sunlight, the type of soil; everything makes a difference when growing sangiovese, the grape in this wine. Ricci’s Brunello is a ruby red with granite highlights. The intense aromas of sweet spices, red mature fruits, fresh fig, sweet tannins and tobacco, fill the glass I swirl. Breaking up the molecules and releasing the perfumes is important, as is letting the alcohol and tannins breath. It is not too strong and is easy to drink. Fresh and alcoholic, it only has a slight bite in the back and is light and fruity. It seems more like a Pinot Noir than a Brunello. Not bad. A good start for the new year together with a juicy steak.
