2006 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino- Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (5/3/2012)
This one was interesting. It started out thin and bland on night one, so I chose to put the cork back on it and give it a few days in the cellar. Fortunately, the wine did a 180 as it was spectacular just a few days later. Where there seemed to be fruit missing and hollowness on the mid palate, the wine had nicely filled out and the fruit had plushed up. There’s still plenty of the tell-tale Sangiovese acidity, but it was in perfect balance with the fruit and tannins. Flavor-wise, there was ripe cherry, plum, chocolate, earth, leather and a touch of tobacco. Very nice finish. Only warning about this wine right now is that it doesn’t seem to be showing well right out of the bottle, so a few years of age may be needed to make sure it is reliably drinking well right out of the gate.
Thanks for the note. I’ve seen this for many months languishing at a local Costco, for something like $30. I had a couple of older bottles from this producer years back and I thought they were good, but I hesitated based on weak CT reviews (which could be the result of the phenomenon you described of how this shows at this age).
Would you recommend it? I wouldn’t open it for years anyways.
Chris, as someone who buys Caparzo periodically if not religiously, I think their Brunello normally represents good QPR as long as you like a little austerity in your Brunello. I still have the '99 in the cellar, and it has always struck me as solid, well-made, but never revelatory. I’m going off memory here, but I think Steve Tanzer gave the 2006 89 points, and that strikes me as about right for a typical vintage by this producer.
Bob, we drank a 1999 Carparzo in January and twas a smooth, complex and thoroughly enjoyable brunello, retaining some wonderful fruit. Less austere than some other vintages, IMO.