According to Wine Spectator, the wine most loved by wine lovers in the USA is Brunello di Montalcino. China is not far behind and rivers of wine will flow along the Silk Road once the President Xi Jinping has tasted the bottle of Riserva 2007 Biondi Santi donated by the Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte when they met last 26 April in Rome. Even in Buckingham Palace, the king of Sangiovese has its royal place, as they say Her Majesty now and then loves treating herself to a glass of Brunello, her favorite drink after the unfailing afternoon tea.
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What is Brunello di Montalcino?
Put simply, Brunello di Montalcino has the highest score in Italy’s entire classification system, known as DOCG. Wines are classified based on where the grapes were grown, how the wine was made, and other factors. Wine critics and sommeliers believe that wine made from Sangiovese grapes yields the best product, and Brunello di Montalcino is made 100% from Sangiovese grapes.
What is Long Live Brunello
Very few know that one of the many virtues of Brunello is longevity. This is the reason why it is offered for sale later than other important wines in the world. Brunello can be sold only starting from the 1st January of the fifth year from the harvest. But even fewer know that it can age in its bottle for many decades without losing its charm. Last year at an event called “Benvenuto Brunello,” thousands of attendants and hundreds of journalists came together to try a 2014 vintage Brunello. Based on the success of this event, another is being held this year, called “Long Live Brunello.”
At this year’s event, 35 produces in Montalcino will come together for the first time to enhance old vintages. By means of this initiative, promoted by Andrea Polidoro, Director of Cupano Wine Estate, they intend to focus the attention of a wider audience, not only the insiders, on their more interesting vintages from 1968 to 2013, which means the most extensive Brunello library ever presented.
Who Will Attend Long Live Brunello
Their target is a highly qualified and exclusive audience, high-level wine lovers and prestigious sommeliers. A few names among the fans of Long Live Brunello: Alexandre Hristov, Head Sommelier at Park Hotel Vitznau – Switzerland, Nicola Ultimo, Director of Beverage at Park Hyatt Milan, Bernat Villarubla, Head Sommelier at Azurmendi – Basque Country, and Matthew Jukes, one of the most renowned UK wine journalists. The Long Live Brunello promoters are looking for (still undisclosed) personalities in the arts, cinema and music who can be Ambassadors of Brunello in the world, in order to spread the culture of this elegant wine to non-professionals in Italy and abroad. May the choice include Liam Neeson, who is currently shooting his latest movie in Montalcino? Who knows.
Partners of the event are major brands and some Hotels, which candidate for luxury accommodation, along with the Fondazione Bertarelli (owner of one of the estates involved – Poggio di Sotto, Tenuta S. Giorgio), that will host the charity event on the last day.
Dates and Location
Dates: From June 21-23
Diner Paulee – Day 1
OCRA Montalcino, a multipurpose facility for activities and conferences in the beautiful setting of the ancient Convent of Sant’Agostino, will host a Gala Dinner for not more than 60 lucky people inspired to La Paulée, a series of events celebrating the wines and winemakers of Burgundy. Here all the producers of Long Live Brunello and those of the Accademia del Barolo will pour a vintage prior to, or including 2010.
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- Argiano will pour Brunello 1977, Brunello 1996, Brunello 2001, Brunello 2012 Riserva
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- Baricci will pour Brunello 1979, Brunello 1986, Brunello 1995, Brunello 2004, Brunello 2010
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- Canalicchio di Sopra will pour Brunello Riserva 1997, Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Riserva 2006, Brunello Riserva 2010
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- Caparzo will pour Brunello 1993, Brunello 2004, Brunello La Casa 2004
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- Caprili will pour Brunello Riserva 1993, Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Riserva 2006 and Brunello 2010 at Long Live Brunello.
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- Casanova di Neri will pour Brunello 1979, Brunello 1983, Brunello Cerretalto 1999,
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- Brunello Tenuta Nuova 2006-2013
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- Castiglion del Bosco will pour Brunello di Montalcino 1993, Brunello Campo del Drago 1999, Brunello Millecento Riserva 2006, Brunello 2007, Brunello Millecento Riserva 2010
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- Cerbaiona will pour Brunello 2004, Brunello 2012
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- Ciacci Piccolomini d’ Aragona will pour Brunello Pianrosso 1997, Brunello 2002, Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Riserva 2012.
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- Col d’Orcia will pour Brunello Riserva 1968, Brunello Riserva 1980, B. Poggio al Vento Riserva 1999, B. Poggio al Vento Riserva 2006
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- Cupano will pour Brunello 2001, Brunello 2002, Brunello 2004, Brunello 2006, Brunello Riserva 2009
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- Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto will pour Brunello 2000, Brunello Riserva 2001, Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Riserva 2010
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- Il Marroneto will pour Brunello Riserva 1987, Brunello 1997, B. Madonna delle Grazie 2007
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- B. Madonna delle Grazie 2012
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- Il Palazzone will pour Brunello Riserva 1995, Brunello 1998, Brunello 2002, Brunello 2013
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- La Fiorita will pour Brunello Riserva 2001, Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Riserva 2006
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- Brunello 2013
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- La Magia will pour Brunello 1994, Brunello 1998, Brunello 2006, Brunello 2008
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- Le Chiuse will pour Brunello 1994, Brunello Riserva 1999, Brunello Riserva 2001, Brunello Riserva 2007, Brunello Riserva 2009
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- Tenuta Le Potazzine will pour Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello 2006, Brunello 2009, Brunello 2010, Brunello Riserva 2011
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- Le Ragnaie will pour Brunello 2006, Brunello V.V. 2007, Brunello Fornace 2008 and Brunello 2010
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- Mastrojanni will pour Brunello 1980, Brunello 1997, Brunello Vigna Lor
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- Pian dell’Orino TBA
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- Pieve Santa Restituta will pour Brunello Rennina 1997, Brunello Sugarille 1999, Brunello Rennina 2006, Brunello Sugarille 2013
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- Podere Le Ripi will pour Brunello Lupi e Sirene 2005, Brunello Lupi e Sirene 2006, B. Lupi e Sirene Riserva 2008, B. Lupi e Sirene Riserva 2013
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- Podere Salicutti will pour Brunello 1997, Brunello 2000, Brunello Piaggione 2005 from Magnum, Brunello Piaggione 2010 and Brunello Riserva Piaggione 2011
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- Poggio di Sotto, Tenuta S. Giorgio will pour Brunello Ugolforte 2004, Brunello Ugolforte 2005,
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- Brunello Ugolforte 2006, Brunello Poggio di Sotto 2013 Riserva, Brunello Poggio di Sotto 2014
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- San Filippo will pour Brunello 1985, Brunello 1991, Brunello Riserva 2010, Brunello Riserva 2012
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- Sanlorenzo will pour Brunello 1985, Brunello 1991, Brunello Riserva 2010, Brunello Riserva 2012
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- San Polino will pour Brunello Riserva 2004, Brunello Helichrysum 2007, Brunello Helichrysum 2009 + 1 TBD
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- Sesti will pour Brunello 1995, Brunello Riserva 1999, Brunello Riserva 2001, Brunello 2004
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- Siro Pacenti will pour Brunello 1999, Brunello 2001, Brunello PS Riserva 2004, Brunello 2006, Brunello PS Riserva 2010
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- Stella di Campalto will pour Brunello 2006, Brunello 2007, Brunello Riserva 2010, Brunello Riserva 2012
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- Tassi will pour Brunello Franci Riserva 2006, Brunello Tassi 2008, Brunello Franci 2009, Brunello Franci 2013
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- Uccelliera will pour Rosso di Montalcino 2010, Brunello Riserva 1997, Brunello Riserva 2001, Brunello 2007, Brunello 2009
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- Val di Suga will pour Brunello Vigna Spuntali 1997, Brunello Vigna Spuntali 2004, Brunello Vigna Spuntali 2007, Brunello Vigna Spuntali 2013
- Valdicava will pour Brunello Riserva 1988, Brunello 1991, Brunello Riserva 1995, Brunello Riserva 1999, Brunello 2001
Attendants to this event can also expect fine quality food, given the status of some of the chefs attending. Vito Mollica is Executive Chef at the Restaurant Il Palagio of Hotel Four Seasons in Florence, where he has obtained his first Michelin star in 2011. According to Vito, the quality of the ingredients is the secret behind every dish, a philosophy that he learned from his mother when, as a child, he observed her cooking. The pluri-awarded Walter Ferretto has conquered his first Michelin star in 1990, a few years after opening his restaurant Il Cascinalenuovo, at Isola d’Asti, Piedmont. He likes to combine the great traditional cuisine from Piedmont with flavors and tastes from all over the world.
Walk Around Tasting and Flying Buffet – Day 2
Day 2 is dedicated to wine tasting open to 150 participants plus a number of special guests. From 4.00pm, each of the 35 wineries visited will pour three wines of a vintage prior to, or including, 2007 and a more recent one.
Starting from 6:00 p.m., a buffet will add to the tasting, with some special dishes prepared by Hans Haas, Chef of the Restaurant Tantris in Munich, and Giuseppe Mancino, the young creative Chef of Il Piccolo Principe in Viareggio, both rating two Michelin stars. As the Austrian Hans Haas, also owner of Podere Salicutti and of a Cooking School in Munich, has declared he is going to retire in December 2020 after a 30-year career, this could be one of the latest occasions to taste his creations.
Charity Auction – Day 3
At 6:00 p.m. the scenario moves from Montalcino to Grosseto, for a Charity Auction at the Bertarelli Foundation Concert Hall, in collaboration with the Gelardini & Romani auction house. Following the auction a concert of classical music.
Prices
Tickets are on sale online on Long Live Brunello website or on Facebook. The cost is €550.00 per person for the Walk Around Tasting and Flying Buffet on June 22, or €650.00 if you wish to enjoy the whole program by adding the Diner Paulee on June 21. Tickets for the auction will be available soon.
