Increasingly, I feel that ambition is a cardinal sin in Italian winemaking. Producers in Chianti Classico, for example, have incorporated numerous techniques–such as the use of super-rich clones or non-native grapes in the vineyard and enzyme treatments and microxygenation in the winery–to make their wines softer, fleshier, plumper and more fruit-forward than they naturally are, for the benefit of critics and international palates. Instead of these nouveau riche wines, I value the lean wines, the un-fleshy wines, the wines that my palate can see into, straight to their soul.
The tendency toward plumpness seems less prevalent in Tuscany’s Montalcino region. Castello Banfi’s 2002 Rosso di Montalino has the classic, savory style that I prefer in Tuscan wines, and also happens to be a terrific value. It has unusual concentration and weight for a Rosso–the junior wine to Brunello di Montalcino–and can develop over about five years, although it is perfectly enjoyable now.
If you were to pull out a vintage chart, you might question my recommendation of this wine, because 2002 was a weak vintage in Italy. In the Montalcino area, for example, heavy rains in August and September delayed ripening. But the weakness of the vintage is this wine’s strength: because Banfi made no Brunello Riserva in 2002 and significantly less non-riserva Brunello than normal, much of the wine that went into this Rosso di Montalcino was de-classified Brunello.
(Both Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino are entirely Sangiovese Grosso, and the vineyard territory for the wines is the same. Unless a vineyard delivers higher yields than permitted for Brunello, it can make either wine, at the producer’s discretion.)
Castello Banfi’s 2002 Rosso is fairly shy of aroma, suggesting just a bit of dark cherry and a slight note of oak. It moves across the palate like a Brunello, its firm tannin evident all across the tongue rather than just in the rear palate. It is solid and substantial rather than being ingratiatingly plump as so many of today’s Tuscan reds are. To me, Sangiovese wines classically have at least as much to say in the rear of the mouth as on the attack, and this wine fits that classic mold in its length. Of course this wine is more modern–cleaner, fresher, fruitier–than a typical Rosso of 20 years ago, but compared to many wines today, it is classic.
Like most traditional Italian wines, this Rosso shines with food. It can stand up to moderately spicy flavors and medium-rich dishes, from roast lamb to pork chops or hard cheeses. For maximum enjoyment, serve it in an oversized glass.
Outstanding: 90 points