There are many ways to approach wine. You can buy at the top, or you can buy on the cheap. There’s nothing wrong with either approach depending on one’s expectations. For us, it is always about finding the best juice for the best price. That sounds easy enough, but opportunities are not always there. Pricing is, of course, the principal issue. But getting the better wines greatly depends on vintages as well. As we have maintained for years, finding the little wines from serious producers is always a higher percentage play as a rule. But those elite producers obviously have greater upside potential on all of their wines when Nature cooperates.
Again, as we may have mentioned, there are few vintages in Tuscany that compare to 2016. Chiantis? A number of ‘best ever’ performances from a variety of producers. Brunello? Folks will be anxiously awaiting the 2016s, but they are two years away. We’ve have seen a number of thrilling ‘little’ wines from the ‘big boys’ in Bolgheri. But poor little Rosso di Montacino, essentially declassified Brunello in many cases, is still pretty much under the radar.
In short, Nature smiled on Sangiovese in 2016 and we have come across some crazy good Rossos that perform well above their station. Admittedly prices for Rossos can be all over the board. But given the vintage, one should take a good, hard look at the category. The Collosorbo Rosso di Montalcino 2016 is one of those exciting finds by virtue of both price and performance.
While every Brunello producer’s Rosso story is a little different, this one doesn’t have a lot of twists and turns. This wine comes from the same vineyards as the Brunello and is hand harvested into small baskets, pressed softly into temperature controlled stainless steel before a sojourn in Slavonian and French barrels for about a year. That’s the way they do it all the time, but the results in 2016 reached new heights based on our experience with Collosorbo and we have had some pretty good runs with this bottling in the past (the 2010 comes to mind).
What’s the secret? No secret. Consistent producer, excellent harvest, not rocket science. This is about fruit…pure, generous, rather ample Sangiovese fruit that wears its terroir for all to see yet can be appreciated simply for its outgoing, well-stuffed, rather gushing demeanor. It plays dark cherry, some earth and anise in the mix, shows surprising size for a ‘simple’ Rosso and the flashes the kind of polish to suggest higher aspirations in this wine. The Collosorbo Rosso 2016 played as nicely with a steak as with a plate of pasta because of its gregarious fruit core and bright flavors. It was engaging from the first sip.
It got some pretty serious ink for a ‘little’ wine as well. Monica Larner of Wine Advocate comments, “The 2016 Rosso di Montalcino opens to a bright ruby color with purple highlights. The wine is youthful and bright in personality with a full load of plump cherry and ripe blackberry. You also get hints of spice, crushed mineral and balsam herb to round off the bouquet. The mouth feel is rich, generous and nicely structured. This is an excellent value buy…90 points.”
James Suckling kicked it up a notch, “Offers more concentration on the nose with mostly notes of blackberry pie, plum cake and even some Christmas pudding. On the palate, the fruit is melded beautifully with chewy yet tight tannins and taut acidity. Great stuff for what it is. Drink now… 93 Points.”
This ‘best ever’ effort exceeds previous efforts for this series from a review perspective, but shares an important number with the 2010…the price. Thanks to a variety of factors that worked in concert here, $19.98 will buy you a pretty spectacular bottle of Rosso that doesn’t play like your ordinary ‘second wine’.
An exceptional ‘go-to’ while it lasts.