Wine Advisor
Conti Costanti, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2007
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is more elegant and less explosive than the Riserva. Exquisite aromatics meld into layers of expressive fruit in a Brunello that is surprisingly crystalline for the vintage. Crushed rocks, minerals and violets emerge over time, adding considerable finesse. Always light on its feet, the 2007 has plenty of vintage character and fabulous overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2032. Andrea Costanti has turned out a superb set of wines. What else is new? His 2008 Brunello is one of the wines of the vintage. Judging by the wines Costanti has in the cellar, there are plenty of exciting Brunellos in the pipeline as well. Costanti ages his Brunellos in a combination of cask and tonneau. Tasting the separate components illustrates the effect of oak on unfinished wines to a striking degree. Personally, I feel this fruit, from relatively high-altitude sites near the center of town, is best suited to more neutral oak. That is also true of the Riserva, a wine that, while outstanding, doesn-t seem to hit the same high notes as the straight bottling. I have long thought of Costanti as a top ten estate in Montalcino, but I am now convinced this property could belong in the top five. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino is a model of grace and elegance. This isn’t a huge, powerful wine like the 2006, but rather a Brunello that impresses for its total finesse. Sweet floral notes lead to hints of tobacco, wild herbs and spices on the refined finish. Layers of fruit flesh out beautifully in a radiant, expressive wine that captures the essence of the vintage. Costanti gave the 2007 Brunello 36 months in oak, 18 months in medium-sized barrels followed by 18 months in cask. This is a fabulous showing from Andrea Costanti. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. These are two beautiful Brunelli from Andrea Costanti, one of the few producers who has had the skill to give his wines a little extra polish without abandoning what is essentially a traditional style. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900
About the Producer
Costanti is one of the finest estates in Montalcino, producing very high-quality Brunellos that are elegant, complex and extremely long-lived. Andrea Costanti runs it in collaboration with consultant oenologist Vittorio Fiore. The estate is situated in Colle al Matrieche in the eastern zone of the Montalcino district and the 7 hectares of vineyards are located on a high ridge 400 metres above sea level. At harvest time Costanti employs a rigorous selection process which ensures that only the finest quality fruit is used. His Brunellos are typically backward, dense and fairly impenetrable in their youth. They require bottle ageing to show at their finest and, when fully mature, they are amongst the richest and most harmonious wines in the district, displaying copious amounts of dark cherry and blackberry fruit, bolstered by svelte and elegant tannins.
