Brunello di Montalcino 2013: Report and top wines

Michaela Morris attended the recent tastings in Montalcino to bring you the latest insight into the 2013 vintage. Premium members can view Michaela's tasting notes and scores for 95 wines, plus a report on how the vintage is shaping up...

Brunello di Montalcino 2013

Keep

Cool year with rain throughout. Most will be approachable soon after release, while the best demonstrate elegance, grace and perfume, with mid-term drinking potential of 10-15 years

4/5

The usual deluge of journalists from around the world descended on Tuscany’s charming hilltop town of Montalcino in mid-February for the 2018 edition of Benvenuto Brunello.

The event, organised by the producers’ representing consortium, is a comprehensive presentation of the newest releases. This year’s marathon tasting featured the 2013 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino, as well as the 2012 Riservas.

It commenced with additional fanfare as rock star Sting arrived in Montalcino to place the commemorative plaque awarding a four-star rating to the 2017 vintage.

While it will be another four years before wines from this torridly hot summer are released, it made for an interesting theoretical juxtaposition with 2013, which the Brunello di Montalcino consorzio also rated four stars.

View tasting notes and scores for 95 wines tasted

 The 2013 vintage

Overall, 2013 was a cool year with rain throughout. Warmer summer temperatures did not appear until August, so veraison (the beginning of grape ripening) was delayed, portending a late harvest.

Inclement weather returned temporarily at the beginning of September, making harvesting decisions tricky.

‘You had to pick around the rains,’ recalls Francesca Bindocci at Il Poggione, adding that it’s a vintage which shows who worked well in the vineyard throughout the year.

Those who were able to wait benefitted from markedly improved conditions during the final days of September.

‘It enabled us to reach an optimal level of ripeness with clean, balanced grapes,’ says Francesco Leanza of Salicutti, who claims that 2013 is one of the latest harvests that he can remember.

Many are describing it as a classic vintage. ‘It is a more traditional year, like we had in the past,’ says Alessia Salvioni at the Salvioni’s La Cerbaiola estate. ‘Conditions were fresher with more thermal amplitude, giving elegant wines.’

Quality

Some producers believe that four stars is too low a rating for 2013. On the one hand, I concur with the consorzio as I interpret this as a blended average. However, this also means it does not adequately capture the range of quality in such a complex region.

There are many excellent 2013s demonstrating grace and gorgeous perfumed nuances. Those like myself, who prize finesse, will love this vintage and I for one will be stocking up my cellar.

The wines may even surprise in their longevity. Riccardo Talenti, owner and winemaker at Talenti, compares 2013 to 1998, another cool year: ‘The wines were very rigid at first, but now we are drinking beautiful bottles from that vintage.’

On average, ageing the 2013s for 10- 15 years is a safe bet. However, this rigidity is where other 2013s may disappoint. With leaner fruit and less texture, the wines have nowhere to hide. Any imbalances in tannins, acidity or alcohol stand out.

Furthermore, deft wood management was crucial. Brunello regulations demand that the wines are aged in wood for a minimum of 24 months out of the mandatory four year ageing period.

While oak regimes vary greatly in terms of length, type and size of oak, winemakers’ methods made a difference between which wines were dried out and which were balanced.

Tellingly, many producers decided not to make a Riserva in 2013. ‘While it was a good year, it doesn’t demonstrate the structure for long-term ageing,’ asserts Andrea Costanti at Conti Costanti.

Conversely, both Laura Brunelli at Gianni Brunelli and the neighbouring Salicutti estate will be releasing small quantities of a Riserva. As this category must age for an additional year (not necessarily in wood), a judgement on these will be made in 2019.

What to buy – Michaela’s top picks:

View tasting notes and scores for 95 wines tasted

Related content:

• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015 preview

• Re-cap: Brunello 2012 vintage panel tasting – published October 2017

• The making of Montalcino

• Great Brunello producers to know about