After a career steering many of Tuscany's top wines into the limelight, Carlo Ferrini, the consultant to so many glittering Italian estates, is now making wine from his own 2.5ha of Sangiovese in southeastern Brunello di Montalcino. I have only tasted the 2013, his fourth vintage, made from 12 year-old vines, but on this showing there seems no doubt that the exceptionally elegant and intense Giodo is one of the fine wine world’s new stars.
Ferrini searched for years, apparently, in the area of Sant'Angelo in Colle just south of the town of Montalcino before finding the five-hectare site in 2001, which he named Podero Giodo in tribute to his parents Giovanni and Donatella. The gentle slopes face southeast and Ferrini, who is now assisted in the winery by his daughter Bianca, has planted 15 clones of Sangiovese at a density of 6,600 vines per hectare. Yields are low, producing 8000 bottles of the 2013.
Giodo Brunello Brunello di Montalcino 2013
Fermented in stainless steel and cement (seven days' alcoholic fermentation, 15 days maceration) and aged for 30 months in 500 and 700-litre barrels then 14 months in bottle.
A bright but not particularly deep colour, more garnet than ruby, thanks to the long ageing. Beautifully expressive, developed and complex nose – a harmony of forest fruits, balsam, spice, tobacco and oak. Effortlessly elegant palate – suave, supple, dry and fresh, with the concentration lightly worn and balsam and tobaccoey spice flavours weaving in and out of subtly sweet berry fruit. Gossamer-fine texture and great length. 14%.
96/100
£89.95, Lea & Sandeman; £81.50 in a mixed case, or 9-litre equivalent
Photograph by Joanna Simon