Brunello di Montalcino – Manachiara Silvo Nardi 1997 DOCG

Brunello di Montalcino Manachiara from the vineyards of Silvio Nardi, Montalcino, Italy.

Recently a good friend came to dinner and brought a bottle of wine. He travels often in Italy and has learned our taste in wine over the years. During a recent trip he found this wine from Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy and thought we would enjoy it. He was right on. Although we had tried various Silvio Nardi wines we had not had the opportunity to try this Brunello.

This is not unusual, there are hundreds of Brunello produced by various producers and the top companies will create a wine for each vineyard exalting the natural characteristics of the terrain and the amount of sun the grape receives during the season. Nardi did a great job with this wine. It was smooth with very subdued tannins, a full body and complex structure.

When I pulled the cork it had a pleasant scent of mature fruit. I was amazed that I did not perceive any tannins, usually a Brunello will have a rather marked scent of tannins upon opening, they then dissipate as the wine breathes. The flavor is encompassing, filling the entire mouth, with just a bit of a bite at the very end without drying the palette. In fact I would drink this wine both before and during dinner. It could also accompany a rich dessert such as a chocolate mousse. I would not choose this wine for wild game or spicy foods. I think it lacks the tannins to appropriately clean the palette. I would accompany any meat dish, both with red and white sauces, mushrooms, and for those who do not drink white this could also accompany some of the more savory fish. I was very impressed by this wine, it will be a great bottle to keep around. It may not be the first choice but will always be a great second choice. The expert and the novice will both appreciate this Brunello.

The technical information on this wine is:

Grape: 100% Sangiovese.

Color: Intense, bright Ruby Red, with aging will become garnet red with orange highlights

Bouquet: Mature fruit, garden flowers with a hint of coffee and chocolate.

Flavor: A good balance of flavors, smooth and soft from the onset. The finish is ever so slightly acidic.

Alcohol: 13,5%

Serving Temperature: 18 degrees c.

Decanting: Not necessary but ½ hour before drinking never hurts.

Glass: Wide mouthed and wide bodied. A balloon glass would be perfect

Aging: I think you can keep this wine well into the 15 year range.

Tags: Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany Silvio Nardi Montalcino Red Wine Food and Wine Travel Italy