Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto 2004
Tax included.
Winery: Casanova di Neri
Vintage: 2004
Grape: Sangiovese
Drinking window: 2020 - 2035
Region: Tuscany
Production: 717 bottles
THE ITALIAN GRAPE (97)
Casanova di Neri is one of the big boys of Montalcino, and they prove it with this special edition of the cerretalto, about 700+ wines were produced from the 2004. Minimal production ensures a very concentrated wine. The 2004 was aged for 30 months in oak barrels and then another 30 months in the bottle. The grapes hail mainly from a vineyard situated in a natural amphitheater alongside a small river. It's a wine of exceptional quality, personality and inimitable style. The finish just keeps going, it is sensational to experience. Brunello at its best in my opinion.
ROBERT PARKER (97)
This has always been one of my favorite vintages of this spectacular single-vineyard wine from Montalcino. In fact, I had previously scored the 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto a perfect 100-points before I started working for Robert Parker Wine Advocate. I am tempted to do the same here, save for the fact I have the memory of the 2010 vintage with that super firm and precise elegance so fresh in my mind. This wine is larger, richer and more textured. There is a broader, looser quality to this wine's fruity extraction and composition. This expression has more meat or flesh on those bones. Giacomo Neri does some of his best work in these warm vintages that add so much fruit and balsam-like intensity. The 2007 Cerretalto is drinking beautifully right now, and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It has entered what I believe will be a long and successful drinking plateau.
WINESPECTATOR (95)
Pure cherry and blackberry fruit mingles with mineral, spice and earth notes in this modern-style red. Graphite elements emerge as the bright acidity and dusty tannins drive the long finish. Fresh and focused, with fine complexity and seamless texture.
About the wine
Sassicaia's journey began in 1945 when its first batch was bottled, but it didn't taste quite like it does today. Mario Incisa, the man behind Sassicaia, spent several years experimenting with different techniques to improve the wine's flavor. Eventually, he realized he needed the help of an expert oenologist. Turning to his relatives, the Antinori family, Mario sought out Giacomo Tachis, an experienced oenologist. Together, Mario and Giacomo decided to try something new: using Bordeaux grapes and applying modern winemaking methods to Sassicaia's production.
Their collaboration bore fruit in 1968 when they released Sassicaia's first commercial batch. It wasn't long before their efforts garnered international recognition. In 1972, at a blind tasting competition hosted by Decanter Magazine, Sassicaia outshone 33 wines from 11 different countries to claim its first major award. This success marked a turning point for Sassicaia, propelling it onto the global stage as a wine of exceptional quality. The name "Sassicaia" itself holds significance, derived from the stony soil ("sassi" in Italian) where the grapes are grown.
The 2006 vintage was shaped by a cold and rainy winter, which delayed bud break — a setback that the warmer spring days couldn’t fully reverse. These temperature fluctuations caused an irregular and extended flowering period, with full bloom only arriving in the first week of June. Nevertheless, the vines displayed their typical vigour and strong productivity. Even in the younger vineyards, careful and modest bunch thinning ensured a balanced vegetative and productive growth. The summer of 2006 was notably dry, though temperatures remained moderate and never extreme. This allowed the vines to slowly develop excellent aromatic complexity. By the time the harvest began, the grapes showed outstanding concentration and even ripeness. The 2006 vintage stands out as one marked by elegance, balance, and exceptional aging capacity.
