Cellar Note: La Fiorita

~ Montalcino ~

Precision. Singular focus.   That is the drive at the Brunello wine estate of La Fiorita.  In a time when most wineries in Montalcino produce, seemingly at a minimum,  a Rosso di Montalcino and some form of IGT,  La Fiorita remains steady with its production of Brunello and Brunello alone. 

La Fiorita's story begins in 1992 when Roberto Cipresso harvested one tiny 1/2 hectare vineyard in Castelnuovo dell'Abate that yielded a mere 1,000 bottles of Brunello.  The famed Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence bought the entire production of the estate for their Ristorante.  Slowly, as new vineyard plantings came online, production has increased to about 25,000 bottles. 

Since 2011, Natalie Oliveros and Roberto Cipresso have been partner owners of the estate and they have increased the acreage under vine without sacrificing the quality of their Brunello. 

~ The Pian Bassolino Vineyard at La Fiorita.  ~

Today we're reporting on the 2006 La Fiorita Brunello, which is a blend from two different estate vineyards.  We last tasted this wine almost 3 years ago and reported on it as part of our Interview with winemaker Roberto Cipresso.  At the time, he stated about his overall philosophy:

"To make a great wine the grapes must be authentic and consistent with the oenological goal. They must be reflective of their terroir.  Techniques and technologies should not compromise their personality. The role of the winemaker isn’t simply to be a custodian, but to exalt the characteristics of the different cru through appropriate practices. We want people to be able to tell where our wines were grown. We don't want to cover that with excessive handling or wood application."

 This tasting brought me back to that comment.  In the glass, the wine is a medium ruby with violet reflections at the core, but a noticeable fade to copper at the rim of the bowl.  The aromas are terroir driven indeed.  Crushed, aged cherry is complimented by dusty clay, scents of cypress, and tea infused with spices.  It's been a pretty remarkable evolution since 2014.  Flavors follow the nose but add a chestnut like softness and notes of worn leather.  Balanced well, the tannins have mellowed considerably.  Decanted for 60 minutes before dinner, only a minor sediment was reserved.  I find this to be a bit "tired" at this stage and recommend drinking sooner rather than later.  90 points.  About $45.

~ The 2006 sports the old label which has been changed to be much more legible. ~

 Salute!