Recommendation: Good Brunello Di Montalcino.
Winery/Producer: Banfi; Montalcino, Italy.
Grape Variety: Blend.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Brunello Di Montalcino, Italy.
Vintage: 2009
Price: $86.25
Purchased From: The Britannia Restaurant, on board the Queen Mary 2.
Paired With: Bouillabaisse soup with saffron rouille. Surf & Turf – grilled beef mignon with sauteed garlic and cajun prawns, pommes lorete and hollandaise sauce.
Tasting:
He said: Opened 30-minutes before drinking. Clear, ruby red color with a very light rim. Chocolate and blackberry aromas with hints of alcohol. Dry, tart, jammy taste that finishes with a strong, dry, fruit flavor that goes on and on. Each sip improves and gets a little soother and less alcohol taste. OK sipping before dinner; outstanding with the bouillabaisse soup; and excellent with the steak. This was a wine that improved dramatically with each pour and it should have had more time to breathe or been decanted. Good Brunello Di Montalcino.
She said: You can tell from the first sniff that the alcohol content is high (15%) but not overly so considering how strong it could be. Other scents are faint so the alcohol smell seems more dominant than it might. Fortunately the problem diminishes with time as the wine slides over the palate and the flavor of the dark berry emerges. The tannins were pleasing and lasted into the long finish. The wine was delicious with the bouillabaisse soup and steak. Overall a decent wine, especially if priced under $20.
Comments: This wine was purchased on board the Queen Mary 2 at restaurant prices. Unless we feel strongly about the price we will direct our comments at the quality of the wine recognizing that it should be possible to purchase it for (two or three times) less at a wine store.
Alcohol: 15%
Bar code: 8 015674 530168
Imported by: NA