More SANGIOVESE... So many asked about this, please check the channel there are a lot of videos that are already released that people repeatedly request: th-cam.com/video/lC7b-gmUVeM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-zEGGnFD-xzwHMk2
Unfortunately for me Brunello has lost the "value" battle with it's tuscan competitors. In my book Chianti Classico & Morellino di Scansano Riservas have improved immensly in quality in the last 10 years offering a similar ( if not superior ) Sangiovese goodness for 50% less buck !
Do you think a rosso from a very good producer will have the same ageability as a brunello of a average/good producer? I had a try on a Rosso biondi santi and i think it is better than many of the other brunello i have tried before. The Rosso does not pale in comparison. Not to mention they are cheaper too as a rosso.
@@drmatthewhorkeyi never had rosso before till i was in montalcino… i was so impressed i bought a case from biondi and poggio di satto. Is better to drink a rosso from a very gd producer and save some money for other wines
You mentioned a rubber note on the finish of wine#2. Maybe with the extended aging it was somewhat reductive and could have benefited from some air which you don't get with Coravin? I remember when staying in Montalcino that I was surprised by how good the Rosso's were compared to the main Brunellos. I didn't understand how there was so much difference in price, but not a big difference in quality. So if it comes down to QPR, I definitely favor the Rosso's. Always like Altesino. And I remember those in the trade there, since the vineyards wrap the hill, they all pointed to the importance of sun exposure depending on where the vineyard block was on the north, south, east or west of the hill. Thanks for another very useful tasting!
@@Allan-cl8ie Yes, additional aging, especially in barrel, is not reason enough to suspect reduction. What is possible is that a wine expected to sit in barrel for as many years as is required may receive more SO2 than we would normally use. That combined with the usual hefty tannins of Brunellos could lead to more reductive notes than average. Pure speculation to try to explain the rubber note.
We spent last September in the Pienza and Montepulciano areas. Tasted any and all I could get my hands on (what a trip - going back!). Our favorites for the $$ were, CC Gran Selezione’s, Rosso di Montalcino’s & CC Riserva’s. For the CC’s, the higher % of sangiovese the better! The quality of wine coming out of Tuscany is superb.
You nailed it ! The Brunello are meant to be drink old ! And a good rosso is ready to drink . Plus , being a fan , I notice that your palate tends to reward Chianti Classico reserva like wines, which a rosso looks like . That being said, I sometimes prefer a rosso over the Brunello too, not only by the price , but because the difference is not so big . Great content ! Cheers !
Rosso di montalcino are bargains, my reccomedation is Banfi "Poggio alle Mura", here in italy is less that 20€, it is 50% is aged in barriques, the fruit element is super powerful and elegant, had a 2017 and it was still delicius and nowhere near its peak.
Several thoughts here: - Man do I love how much you love Italian wines! - Price/quality ratio is very important to me. I believe the sweet spot is somewhere in the range of 20-30€ for European wines (living in Germany). - I’d love to see you match up a big lineup of different typical Sangiovese (Chianti, Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino) against each other. Prost!
My guess is that for a lot of the expensive bottles you do blind tastings with on this channel, you're not giving them enough time in the decanter. They're all too tight, and that's why you can't make the distinction between younger wines. If you let them decant accordingly, you'll not only be better able to make the distinction, but also appreciate the more expensive ones a lot more. I really enjoy that you share your blind tastings without any edits, even if you get them wrong. They become great learning opportunities. I only expect MS's to get them right. I'm enjoying your videos - my only feedback would be to slow down your reviews, and maybe discuss one attribute at a time - colour, acidity, aromatics on the nose and palate, body/ABV, dryness, tannins, and finish. I like your energy and passion for wine. Cheers!
A lot of videos on the channel the expensive wines do show well or sometimes best. There are a lot of factors in blind tastings. Be careful not to put palates on a pedestal. I taste with A LOT of MS and MWs each year… we ALL make mistakes in blind tastings which also adds to the fun
@@drmatthewhorkey I've only seen about 5-10 videos on your channel thus far, but I'll check out more. Most definitely there's a lot of factors to blind tastings, and everyone can make mistakes, albeit, the MS' I follow have a very high accuracy rate. While I don't put palates on a pedestal, I put a lot of trust in their demonstrated level of experience. And of course, more expensive wine doesn't also mean always better. Cheers.
I would tend to side with you; what would be more important than a palate. Some high end Italian producers especially something like a Barolo believe that these wines need to be decanted hours before consumption to truly appreciate it otherwise you will not know what you are missing. This would mean opening something in the morning if it is still young even if it has extended oak ageing. One Barolo producer whose name I can't recall even suggests opening a young Barolo the evening before the dinner if it does not have enough bottle age. My own experience doing tastings would support this.@@charliep9066
Good and honest review. I have to say I'm not surprised at the result and that's based on some recent bottles I've got through. I just opened a fine 2012 Brunello from a very respected producer and good as it was I'm certain it need 5 more years to really shine. Even after a couple of days it was still a bit tight. Compare that to a really excellent 2021 Rosso I just finished which was really superb and drinking well right now. Delicious red berry characteristics and a very vibrant and zippy profile. I've bought some more. I love it and you don't need to wait 20 freaking years to enjoy it. It's also less than half the price of its big Brunello brother. It's the 'Canalicchio di Sopra 2021 Rosso di Montalcino' at £27.50 British pounds if you're interested. Cheers Matt. WT
Opened my first (at least I think so) Rosso di Montalcino and paired it with this video. Am I off describing it as somewhat Burgundian, but with some Syrah spice?? (Castello Banfi RdM 2020)
Had several rosso’s, good but not many have really surpriced me. Had Le Magia 19’ (sadly have no more) which after an hour plus opened up like wahau!! It is younger grapes but could be a Brunello. Same goes for Le Ripi La Magia which from 15’ have been labeled Brunello
Great honest stuff Matthew. I have been defeated many times by younger cheaper wines, which shined at 2-3 years old. The Rosso's seem to be the steals in Montalcino. Are they slowly narrowing the gap to the Brunello's? What's your opinion on that?
That must have been some Rosso then, because I would rather have a Nobile than a Rosso more often than not. Brunello being the preferred (price notwithstanding ) one obviously.
I have tasted a few Rosso di Montalcino, but in Asia the Brunello di Montalcino's get all the love. Surprising that they quality can be so close and the price so different. I think that you have to be in Italy or a pretty mature wine market to get your hands on both and taste them side by side. Cheers & fun video.
The Riedel Pinot Noir Performance Wine Glass is beautiful! Can it be used as a universal glass, or would it not be ideal for heavier wines like Cab or Malbec?
It's been mentioned but i think the key variable is they are different vintages. There's no perfect way to taste test in this type of match up, but possibly the best way to assess which is the better wine us to somehow find an older Rosso vintage, say 2019, and match it against the same vintage / current release Brunello. But your approach is more real world, most consumers are looking at a choice of current releases.
We visited Tuscany last summer and went to two different wineries in Montalcino. We loved the Brunello, Rosso, and the Super Tuscans. One winery (Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona) had a wine they called Ateo that was a Cab/Merlot blend and was delicious at $16. Many Italians say its blasphemy to use any grape other than Sangiovese, so Ateo translates to "atheist" 😀. Needless to say we had 2 cases of various wines shipped. It only averages about $7/bottle so was well worth it. We'll be laying down our Brunellos for a few years. Oh...and don't let the out of the way location detract you. It was the most beautiful drive I ever took. Had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road.
I prefer Brunello, but with more age on it and after a decant. When on the younger side, like the 2019, it benefits from a long decant imo. Favorite producers: San Polino, Romitorio, La Gerla
Beautiful video idea! Call me a hipster but I’m with you and Peter Koff in preferring the classic lighter style of Rosso (for much cheaper as well!). I got to try one producer side by side last winter, their 2018 Brunello in a half bottle vs I think the 2021 Rosso and I preferred the more fresh one.
Thanks for another great and inspiring blind tasting! By which aspects would you be able to tell between Brunello, Vino Nobile and good quality Chianti in a blind tasting?
these two wines are right up my alley.!! in my collection i have over 50 brunellos and when i have guests my go to wine is the rosso.luckily i scored 3 bottles recently of the argiano 2018 because the wine store had many in stock. such elegant and complex wines..... thank you for this much needed video. i hardly ever miss your take on wines
Funnily enough I was looking at wine in a local shop today with the weekend in mind and a Rosso was the one I hovered over. Thanks Matthew I think you have made my mind up. I will go back later this week and purchase a bottle.
This is the third time I a opening up a bottle of a new wine I've never had before and log into youtube to find that you just uploaded a video for that wine! Perfect timing
More SANGIOVESE... So many asked about this, please check the channel there are a lot of videos that are already released that people repeatedly request: th-cam.com/video/lC7b-gmUVeM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-zEGGnFD-xzwHMk2
Unfortunately for me Brunello has lost the "value" battle with it's tuscan competitors. In my book Chianti Classico & Morellino di Scansano Riservas have improved immensly in quality in the last 10 years offering a similar ( if not superior ) Sangiovese goodness for 50% less buck !
There are def more affordable Sangio gems in Tuscany
Do you think a rosso from a very good producer will have the same ageability as a brunello of a average/good producer? I had a try on a
Rosso biondi santi and i think it is better than many of the other brunello i have tried before. The Rosso does not pale in comparison. Not to mention they are cheaper too as a rosso.
Some producers make it like baby Brunello and it could age. The beauty of Rosso for me is accessibility young tho
@@drmatthewhorkeyi never had rosso before till i was in montalcino… i was so impressed i bought a case from biondi and poggio di satto. Is better to drink a rosso from a very gd producer and save some money for other wines
You mentioned a rubber note on the finish of wine#2. Maybe with the extended aging it was somewhat reductive and could have benefited from some air which you don't get with Coravin? I remember when staying in Montalcino that I was surprised by how good the Rosso's were compared to the main Brunellos. I didn't understand how there was so much difference in price, but not a big difference in quality. So if it comes down to QPR, I definitely favor the Rosso's. Always like Altesino. And I remember those in the trade there, since the vineyards wrap the hill, they all pointed to the importance of sun exposure depending on where the vineyard block was on the north, south, east or west of the hill. Thanks for another very useful tasting!
Why would it be somewhat reductive with additional ageing?
@@Allan-cl8ie Yes, additional aging, especially in barrel, is not reason enough to suspect reduction. What is possible is that a wine expected to sit in barrel for as many years as is required may receive more SO2 than we would normally use. That combined with the usual hefty tannins of Brunellos could lead to more reductive notes than average. Pure speculation to try to explain the rubber note.
Ding ding ding on Rosso dM!
We spent last September in the Pienza and Montepulciano areas. Tasted any and all I could get my hands on (what a trip - going back!). Our favorites for the $$ were, CC Gran Selezione’s, Rosso di Montalcino’s & CC Riserva’s. For the CC’s, the higher % of sangiovese the better! The quality of wine coming out of Tuscany is superb.
CCs are stellar indeed
Kudos for the honesty. Blind tasting is hard. Great to keep underscoring that!
It is tough and full of surprises!
You nailed it ! The Brunello are meant to be drink old ! And a good rosso is ready to drink . Plus , being a fan , I notice that your palate tends to reward Chianti Classico reserva like wines, which a rosso looks like . That being said, I sometimes prefer a rosso over the Brunello too, not only by the price , but because the difference is not so big . Great content ! Cheers !
Rosso does offer bang for buck!
Rosso di montalcino are bargains, my reccomedation is Banfi "Poggio alle Mura", here in italy is less that 20€, it is 50% is aged in barriques, the fruit element is super powerful and elegant, had a 2017 and it was still delicius and nowhere near its peak.
It is good as well as their standard Rosso!
@@drmatthewhorkeyBanfi’s rosso di Montalcino is not that great though.. but they have some more expensive labels that are worth it
Several thoughts here:
- Man do I love how much you love Italian wines!
- Price/quality ratio is very important to me. I believe the sweet spot is somewhere in the range of 20-30€ for European wines (living in Germany).
- I’d love to see you match up a big lineup of different typical Sangiovese (Chianti, Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino) against each other.
Prost!
That is a sweet spot… search my channel for ‘Sangiovese Showdown’
Gotta love blind tasting! Always makes you question everything 😂
Yesssir
Just bought myself a 2012 Ciacci Piccolomini d Aragona and then saw this upload
Nice!
My guess is that for a lot of the expensive bottles you do blind tastings with on this channel, you're not giving them enough time in the decanter. They're all too tight, and that's why you can't make the distinction between younger wines. If you let them decant accordingly, you'll not only be better able to make the distinction, but also appreciate the more expensive ones a lot more. I really enjoy that you share your blind tastings without any edits, even if you get them wrong. They become great learning opportunities. I only expect MS's to get them right. I'm enjoying your videos - my only feedback would be to slow down your reviews, and maybe discuss one attribute at a time - colour, acidity, aromatics on the nose and palate, body/ABV, dryness, tannins, and finish. I like your energy and passion for wine. Cheers!
A lot of videos on the channel the expensive wines do show well or sometimes best. There are a lot of factors in blind tastings. Be careful not to put palates on a pedestal. I taste with A LOT of MS and MWs each year… we ALL make mistakes in blind tastings which also adds to the fun
@@drmatthewhorkey I've only seen about 5-10 videos on your channel thus far, but I'll check out more. Most definitely there's a lot of factors to blind tastings, and everyone can make mistakes, albeit, the MS' I follow have a very high accuracy rate. While I don't put palates on a pedestal, I put a lot of trust in their demonstrated level of experience. And of course, more expensive wine doesn't also mean always better. Cheers.
I would tend to side with you; what would be more important than a palate. Some high end Italian producers especially something like a Barolo believe that these wines need to be decanted hours before consumption to truly appreciate it otherwise you will not know what you are missing. This would mean opening something in the morning if it is still young even if it has extended oak ageing. One Barolo producer whose name I can't recall even suggests opening a young Barolo the evening before the dinner if it does not have enough bottle age. My own experience doing tastings would support this.@@charliep9066
Could be that 2022 is a better vintage? Maybe try the same vintage…
2019 is current releaae of Brunello ok the market. 2022s are all in cask still
Should not be very hard to find a 2019 RdM.
I’m surprised. The 2019 really stands out. Thanks for being honest..
Thank you!
Good and honest review. I have to say I'm not surprised at the result and that's based on some recent bottles I've got through. I just opened a fine 2012 Brunello from a very respected producer and good as it was I'm certain it need 5 more years to really shine. Even after a couple of days it was still a bit tight. Compare that to a really excellent 2021 Rosso I just finished which was really superb and drinking well right now. Delicious red berry characteristics and a very vibrant and zippy profile. I've bought some more. I love it and you don't need to wait 20 freaking years to enjoy it. It's also less than half the price of its big Brunello brother. It's the 'Canalicchio di Sopra 2021 Rosso di Montalcino' at £27.50 British pounds if you're interested. Cheers Matt. WT
Well said! I love the zippiness of RdMs
Opened my first (at least I think so) Rosso di Montalcino and paired it with this video. Am I off describing it as somewhat Burgundian, but with some Syrah spice?? (Castello Banfi RdM 2020)
Ahhh pretty decent call!!
Had several rosso’s, good but not many have really surpriced me. Had Le Magia 19’ (sadly have no more) which after an hour plus opened up like wahau!! It is younger grapes but could be a Brunello. Same goes for Le Ripi La Magia which from 15’ have been labeled Brunello
Both very good producers! Nice call
Love Brunello one of my favorite producers is La Gerla. Thanks for keeping it 💯🥂
Good producer!
Great honest stuff Matthew. I have been defeated many times by younger cheaper wines, which shined at 2-3 years old. The Rosso's seem to be the steals in Montalcino. Are they slowly narrowing the gap to the Brunello's? What's your opinion on that?
I don’t think so bc not all producers take them so seriously. I am biased towards Rossos bc of the fresher, punchy fruit
2019 BDM still a baby hence the similarities with the Rosso esp 19 BDM freshness n acidity
👏🏼
Takes a man of integrity not to edit this type of video. Kudos to you sir!
🙏🙏🙏
That must have been some Rosso then, because I would rather have a Nobile than a Rosso more often than not. Brunello being the preferred (price notwithstanding ) one obviously.
Rosso di Montepulciano (baby Vino Nobile) can be delicious as well!
I have tasted a few Rosso di Montalcino, but in Asia the Brunello di Montalcino's get all the love. Surprising that they quality can be so close and the price so different. I think that you have to be in Italy or a pretty mature wine market to get your hands on both and taste them side by side. Cheers & fun video.
There were a few Rossos available when I was in Singapore but the selection was dwarfed by that of Brunellos
The Riedel Pinot Noir Performance Wine Glass is beautiful! Can it be used as a universal glass, or would it not be ideal for heavier wines like Cab or Malbec?
I use it for almost everything lately hahaha
Thanks for being honest keep up the good work and you’ll get it right next time 😂
Hahhahah thanks
It's been mentioned but i think the key variable is they are different vintages. There's no perfect way to taste test in this type of match up, but possibly the best way to assess which is the better wine us to somehow find an older Rosso vintage, say 2019, and match it against the same vintage / current release Brunello. But your approach is more real world, most consumers are looking at a choice of current releases.
Thanks for acknowledging the more ‘real world’ approach
I love Brunellos, but I drink Rossos, and they almost never let me down.
Soooooo dependable!
I’ve been so much into Vino Nobile di Nontepulciano that I haven’t had much Brunello di Montalcino.
Ohhh nice!
Very nice. Same thing can happen with you do it with Amarones and Ripassos.
th-cam.com/video/RUaZU5xudWM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8NpmpLXPI9wH6Gnw
We visited Tuscany last summer and went to two different wineries in Montalcino. We loved the Brunello, Rosso, and the Super Tuscans. One winery (Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona) had a wine they called Ateo that was a Cab/Merlot blend and was delicious at $16. Many Italians say its blasphemy to use any grape other than Sangiovese, so Ateo translates to "atheist" 😀. Needless to say we had 2 cases of various wines shipped. It only averages about $7/bottle so was well worth it. We'll be laying down our Brunellos for a few years. Oh...and don't let the out of the way location detract you. It was the most beautiful drive I ever took. Had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road.
Sounds like you had a great time! Tuscany is sooooo beautiful
@@drmatthewhorkey It really is! I'm pretty much of a mind to not repeat vacations and try new places to visit, but I'd make an exception for Tuscany.
That Rosso must be a HELL of a wine !
It is but many Rossos are and I believe palate preference was a factor here
Now I want to buy some Rossos, thank you!
Go get um!
Great video! Cheers 🍷
Thank you!
Brunello all the way!
😮
Do you drink both in one day? I used to have at least 1 sometimes 2..
Lol
I've been wanting to buy like 6 for the week like you guys do. hahaha@@drmatthewhorkey
I prefer Brunello, but with more age on it and after a decant. When on the younger side, like the 2019, it benefits from a long decant imo.
Favorite producers: San Polino, Romitorio, La Gerla
Three good producers!
Beautiful video idea! Call me a hipster but I’m with you and Peter Koff in preferring the classic lighter style of Rosso (for much cheaper as well!).
I got to try one producer side by side last winter, their 2018 Brunello in a half bottle vs I think the 2021 Rosso and I preferred the more fresh one.
Good ole Peter!
Thanks for another great and inspiring blind tasting! By which aspects would you be able to tell between Brunello, Vino Nobile and good quality Chianti in a blind tasting?
Search Sangiovese Showdown on my channel
My favorite wine is 9-10 year old brunello but i love the fresher tasting rosso, donatella colombini ´s rosso is always superb
That is a FABULOUS producer!
Fun video. The fact that you put it up after "missing" on picking the brunello is why I trust you opinions. Thanks for putting out another good one.
🙏🙏🙏
these two wines are right up my alley.!! in my collection i have over 50 brunellos and when i have guests my go to wine is the rosso.luckily i scored 3 bottles recently of the argiano 2018 because the wine store had many in stock. such elegant and complex wines..... thank you for this much needed video. i hardly ever miss your take on wines
That is a good hosting strategy!
I've never had a Rosso di Montalcino, but I'm going to try and find it because on the whole I'm not that keen on a lot of oak in wine.
You’ll like them I’m sure
two times I have had Biondi Santi line up tasting, both of the times Rosso was better than baseline Brunello. obviously Reserva is on another level😅
I do like their Rosso too
Funnily enough I was looking at wine in a local shop today with the weekend in mind and a Rosso was the one I hovered over. Thanks Matthew I think you have made my mind up. I will go back later this week and purchase a bottle.
Do it!
This is the third time I a opening up a bottle of a new wine I've never had before and log into youtube to find that you just uploaded a video for that wine! Perfect timing
Which wine??!!
We’re staying in Montalcino this May. Is there any wineries you suggest going to.
You can search for Blinding Brunello on my channel. All those worth going
Again! Good and honest review! 💯
🙏🙏
Brunello! 🤤🤤🤤🤤
😬
Which Rosso costs 200 USD?
Le Ripa and Stella di Campalto
Obviously he is attracted to high sticker prices, but I shan't go there.@@drmatthewhorkey
@@drmatthewhorkey My first thought before Reading your response. Met her at the visit this summer 🙏