Altesino Brunello Di Montalcino 2006

Hello guys! I apologize for having been on a week-long break after that awesome double header. I just had a lot on my plate during finals week and for once I decided to think about school before vino. But never again! From here on out I'll be committed to The Wine Noob. Two wine reviews a week, and I'll make them super fun for you guys. So with that, we proceed to this exciting wine- the Altesino Brunello di Montalcino.

Let me just start off by saying that I personally would only consider having this wine with a traditional Italian dinner. I HATE having to say that because I don't want to limit Italian wines to Italian meals. I also HATE broadcasting Italian culture, because I think that enough people do that already. However, this wine requires some sort of "al dente" pasta with a hearty tomato sauce, followed by some tomato drenched ox tail. On to the wine!

This Brunello was nothing short of, well, good. My parents praised it to no end, but we should consider that they come from Italy and are very proud about that- and as a matter of fact there's nothing wrong that. But, I personally thought it was... well, just good. Nothing truly spectacular, as you will see in my unbiased description.

The color of the wine was a clear red, with a long coloration that boasted a very clear edge when tipped.  It also featured some elastic, quick forming legs. Also, the swirl was particularly pretty (something I've begun to notice in a wine's structure.) Lastly in color, there was a pretty orange rim  along the edge of the glass.

The nose caught my fancy in this wine. The classic sangiovese bouquet shone in there, which actually usually bores me, to be honest. There was a raspberry/licorice combo up front, with a greenish "stalky" component coming in shortly afterwards. Eventually in the actual drinking of the wine I could absolutely say the wine was juicy, active, and vivacious. There was a superb mouthfeel with a persistent dryness, which went on to make the light body and tannins more enjoyable. I should also note my favorite part of the wine, which would be the unmistakable turnip and radish flavors that came in towards the end of the glass. Pretty solid.

Now, I must say this again. This wine highly benefitted from the meal I was having. On its own, I seriously doubt that I would have enjoyed it as much. When you have a Brunello, be sure to have it with a rustic meal. I'd say some Spanish or maybe Californian cuisine would go well with it- as well as classic Italian food. Anyways, I'll be back soon to post another wine review in a little while. Thanks for reading!