Description
From a full bodied and ripe vintage, the Palazzone 2017 shows us the estate’s desire and ability to make wines of finesse. A blend of wines from the cooler north, at 545ms, and those from the warmer, lower lying south. Fermented in a mix of Slavonian Oak and concrete, before transfer to large Slavonian oak Botti. These big old barrels impart no oak flavour, but allow the wine to develop texture and add finesse to its structure. Bottled after 24 months, then further aged in bottle before release. It is very pretty in the glass, a transparent ruby with some shades of terracotta. A perfumed red currants, rose petal and cherry nose leads to a fine, pure, and elegant palate, with a beautifully silky grain of tannin and crisp red fruits mingling with darker, richer flavours. There’s a definite minerality to the long finish, a cool line which lifts and tightens the wine, giving it a beautiful sense of focus. Proper Brunello, serious stuff but beautifully refined.
About the Domaine
The Il Palazzone philosophy is based around terroir and tradition; they believe that it is the Montalcino terroir which is responsible for the character of its wines, that the winemaker’s job is to do as little as possible and simply allow this to be communicated, and that the traditional methods do this most effectively. The estate’s small size, just 5ha, makes this level of care and focus possible, everything can be done by hand. They follow organic practices, no chemicals are used in the vines, and flowers and grass are allowed to grow between the rows. Three of their five hectares are in the north of the zone, with two in the south. The North, cooler and higher at 300-600ms, is known for giving structured, sophisticated wines with fine tannins and cool, reserved fruit. They are often the longest lived Brunelli. In the south, where the vines are usually lower, one finds more concentration and richness. The Il Palazzone vines average around 35-years old.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.