2014 Valdicava, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany

Do not miss this offering by one of Tuscany's finest Brunello producers, Valdicava.

Forget that I poured Valdicava's Rosso di Montalcino at my wedding a few years ago. Forget that Valdicava is one of the top five Brunello producers in Montalcino. Forget that the grapes are grown biodynamically. These are niceties, but something fortuitous happened in the 2014 vintage.

Flanked by highly publicized vintages such as 2012, 2013, and 2015, the 2014 vintage got overlooked due to a bit of rain. Focusing on quality over quantity, Valdicava elected NOT to produce their flagship Brunello Riserva in 2014 and declassified that wine into their normale Brunello; and, Valdicava's normale Brunello was then declassified into their Rosso di Montalcino, which we are featuring today. That makes the 2014 Valdicava Rosso di Montalcino a $125 Brunello at the staggering price of $39 bottle!

To call this wine a "Baby Brunello" would not do it justice. This Rosso is ALL BRUNELLO without the wait. You will not find a better value Rosso di Montalcino! A little less time in oak and bottle before release is all that stands between the Brunello and Rosso designations on the bottle - the former requiring more time.

Porcini aromas, bright cherry, sweet spice, floral notes, dried flower, and strawberry are supported by hearty yet balanced tannins. A little rain? We don't notice any give on the quality of this wine. It is a tremendous value. Enjoy it now but keep in mind, it has the pedigree to be put down for a few years.

Not all Rosso di Montalcino's are created equal. Don't miss this special wine!