Talenti

Talenti is a gorgeous estate located in one of the world's most picturesque regions - the valley of the river Orcia, south of the legendary hill town of Montalcino, near the beautiful (and beautifully preserved) medieval monastery of Sant'Antimo, where if you were lucky, you might still hear the monks singing beneath the ancient Romanesque arches of the church built in the early 12th century: they continue to do so every day. Azienda Talenti was established by Pierliugi Talenti in 1981. The estate is an idyllic 40 hectares, including about 20 hectares of vines. The rest is olives, cereal crops, and natural woods. The place has a profound sense of remoteness and calm.

Like their monumental Brunello di Montalcino, Talenti's Rosso is 100% Sangiovese grown on magnificent clay and marly soils at an elevation of 200 to 400 metres. The only difference is the age of the vines - the Rosso is produced from younger vines than the Brunello. The idea is to produce an early-drinking 'preview' of the Brunello - a wine with the classic berry/plum aromas and leathery, smoky, earthy complexity. This wine demonstrates why Rosso di Montalcino can be one of the greatest values of all. Late picked hand-harvested grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, followed by ageing of the wine in a combination of 600 and 1000 litre Slavonian and Allier oak vats for an extended period. The result is a rich and complex wine that is deliciously mellow and perfect for early - and frequent - drinking, yet never to be taken lightly.

Talenti's Brunello is 100% sangiovese grosso planted in 1981, grown on clay and marly soils at an elevation of 200 to 400 metres. The grapes are hand harvested, often as late as November. Winemaking is a judicious mix of modern (fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel) and traditional (ageing in a combination of Slavonian oak barriques and 500 litre botti for two and a half years, followed by a year of bottle age prior to release). The wine has the characteristic Brunello nose of concentrated berries and plums, strong suggestions of leather, smoke, and 'baked earth', and lovely sweet herbal aromas. As Brunello always should, it has the fine, grippy tannins and fresh acidity to provide backbone and ageability. In a perfect world, there would always be plenty of Rosso di Montalcino to drink as we waited the decades it takes for the Brunello to become burnished and nutty and autumnal....If the temptation is too great however, the wine can certainly be enjoyed now for the sheer beauty of its fruit. If you choose the early drinking option, the wine will benefit greatly from a few hours in a decanter.