2013 Annata
2013 was a source of concern for the producers right from the start. The spring in particular was cool and rainy, which noticeably delayed ripening, and it was initially unclear whether the warm second half of the summer would be able to make up for the shortfall. The harvest was correspondingly late; the consortium gave the vintage 4 out of 5 stars, which is supposed to mean "classic year" and always calls for a bit of scepticism given the generosity with which the consortia usually handle their vintage assessments.
![](/uploads/editor/images/513318/5b0bd2972eeea.jpg) |
Indeed, there are also some simpler, tart, uncharming, sometimes even green wines, but they by no means define the vintage. By far the greater part of the 2013 Brunello seems to have rather benefited from the conditions. The wines are leaner and often not quite as concentrated as much of 2012, for example, but finer, often more precise and elegant. The differences in character, it seems to us, are also much more pronounced this year than they were last year. Not always, but remarkably often, we prefer the '13 Brunello to its '12 counterpart, and so should everyone who prefers finesse and elegance to sheer power, especially since the wines are by no means lacking in depth and complexity.
In any case, we had great pleasure for the most part in sampling the 94 wines we tasted for this BEST OF in the last few weeks. We present the best of them here and in PDF here. Links to all producers and wines with detailed descriptions can be found at here.
2012 Riserva
Remembering the sometimes somewhat exhausting tastings of the 12 Annate, we were extremely surprised by the Riserve of the vintage. Many of the "normal" Brunellos were a little too undifferentiated in their power, concentration and alcohol heaviness and not fine enough to trigger real enthusiasm.
Quite different were the reserves, which always come onto the market with a year's delay. Apparently, the longer maturity has done the wines good. Together with the obviously sensitive selection of the raw material for the Riserve, which was not aimed at even more power and concentration, but above all at refinement, top Brunellos were created that we have not experienced in such abundance at this level for a long time.
Consequently, we present the majority of the 56 wines tasted here and in PDF here. Links to all producers and wines can be found here. here.
2013 Annata
- 95WP Salvioni
- 93WP "Vigna del Fiore", Barbi
- 93WP "Montosoli", Altesino
- 93WP Il Poggione
- 92WP "Vallocchio", Fanti
- 92WP La Fortuna
- 92WP La Fiorita
- 92WP "Prime Donne", Donatella Cinelli Colombini
- 92WP Fuligni
- 92WP Cerbaia
- 91WP Castello di Argiano
- 91WP Talenti
- 91WP Col d'Orcia
- 91WP "Luce", Luce della Vite
- 91WP Castel Giocondo
- 91WP Cava d'Onice
- 91WP Uccelliera
- 91WP Canalicchio di Franco Pacenti
- 91HP Giodo
- 91HP Villa al Cortile
- 91WP "Pomona", Villa Poggio Salvi
- 90WP "Zebras", Villa i Cipressi
- 90WP Il Falconaio
- 90WP "Campaperi", Máté - Il Valentiano
- 90WP Capanna
- 90WP "Ugolforte", San Giorgio - ColleMassari
- 90WP Poggio Lucina
- 90WP Mastrojanni
- 90WP "Poggio alle Mura", Castello Banfi
- 90WP "Tassi", Franci Franca - Tassi
- 90WP Poggio San Polo
- 90WP Altesino
- 90WP Fanti
- 90WP "Vigna la Casa", Caparzo
- 90WP Del Cerro - La Poderina
- 90WP Villa le Prata
- 90WP Barbi
- 90WP Casisano
- 90HP Brunelli
- 89WP Poggio Nardone
- 89WP "vigna manapetra", La Lecciaia
- 89WP Madonna Nera
- 89WP La Magia
- 89WP Baricci
- 89WP Crocedimezzo
- 89WP Donatella Cinelli Colombini
- 89WP "Voliero", Uccelliera
- 89WP Buon Tempo
- 89WP Carpineto
- 89WP La Fuga
- 89WP "Vigna delle Raunate", Mocali
- 89WP Belpoggio
- 89WP "Franci", Franci Franca - Tassi
- 89WP Fattoi
- 89WP "Pian delle Vigne", Antinori
2012 Riserva
- 95WP "Vigna Paganelli", Il Poggione
- 94WP Caparzo
- 93WP Fuligni
- 93WP Barbi
- 93WP "Beato", Il Poggiolo"
- 93WP Canalicchio the Franco Pacenti
- 93WP Capanna
- 93WP "Poggio all'Oro", Castello Banfi
- 92WP Altesino
- 92WP "Massimo", Villa le Prata
- 92WP "Vigna delle Raunate", Mocali
- 92WP "Vigneto Poggio Doria", Silvio Nardi
- 92WP "Poggio alle Mura", Castello Banfi
- 92WP Donatella Cinelli Colombini
- 91WP Le Macioche
- 91WP Piancornello
- 91WP Villa Poggio Salvi
- 91WP "Vignaferrovia", Antinori
- 91HP "Pian di Conte", Talenti
- 91HP "123", Solaria - Cencioni
- 91WP "Terra Rossa", Il Poggiolo
- 91WP "Vigna Cerbaia", Cerbaia
- 91WP "Il Poggiolo", Il Poggiolo
- 91WP "Duelecci Ovest", Tenuta di Sesta
- 91WP "vigna manapetra", La Lecciaia
- 91WP "Pininio", Pininio
- 90HP La Fiorita
- 90WP "Colombaiolo", Casisano
- 90HP Brunelli
- 90WP Uccelliera
- 90WP La Fortuna
- 90WP "Ripe al Convento", Castel Giocondo
- 90WP "Vigna Le Macciarelle", Fanti
- 90WP "Nastagio", Col d'Orcia
- 90WP Fattoi
- 90WP Baricci
- 89WP Mocali
- 89WP Innocenti
- 89WP Cordella
- 89WP La Collina di Lecci
- 89WP Castello Tricerchi
- 89WP Villa al Cortile
- 89WP Cava d'Onice
- 89WP "Vigna gli Angeli", La Gerla
- 89WP "Poggio Abate", Del Cerro - La Poderina
- 89WP Le Gode
- 89WP "Phenomena", Sesti - Castello di Argiano