TN: 2005 La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino

All this talk in that other thread prompted me to run down to the cellar and grab a bottle - true, I am currently eating kettle chips while I drink this, so perhaps not a “classic” wine & food pairing, but what can you do on short notice [cheers.gif] .

A dark translucent ruby in the glass - nice red-fruited nose (which at least IMO is preferred to any intermixing with black fruits when it comes to Sangiovese), crisp fruit framed by acidity on the nose, all in a lovely, albeit primary nose.

The acidity in the wine really cuts the fat from the kettle chips [wink.gif] . You know, I can recall many debates/discussions on the EBob board about the merits of buying off vintage wines. Given how the wine industry has developed over the past two decades, I find the argument even more compelling in today’s marketplace. Not that I am necessarily dismissing the 2005 to “off-vintage” quality, but merely observing that stuck as it is between the '04 and highly touted '06 vintages, it’s sure to be lost and subsequently discounted on retailers shelves, and I think you miss out on a nice “interim” drinking experience if you dismiss such vintages out of hand.

This is not a wine to lay away for a decade, but it is a nice expression of Sangiovese for mid-term consumption. I also stood up a 2007 La Gerla Rosso to try them out side-by-side later, but this is a pretty, elegant, mid-weight version of Brunello that should drink nicely while you wait for your '04’s to come around.

IIRC, La Gerla did not do the vineyard designate Vigna Gli Angeli in 2005, and much of that fruit went here.

Nice note cousin Bob! Haven’t had a La Gerla in many years, sounds like a satisfying bot. Speaking of 2005s, there are some real standouts in Brunello, just as there are in Barolo/Barby where the vintage is kind of viewed in a similar light :a tweener. For a real treat check out the 05 Cerbaiona. Very serious with excellent aging potential.