The Lisini estate, situated on the southern side of Montalcino very near Sant’Angelo in Colle, dates back to the 16th century and some buildings are over 700 years old. To say that this is a property and family steeped in history and tradition would be an understatement! Their more recent past includes charter membership in the Brunello Consorzio, one of only 25 producers at the time, and the family matriarch, Elina is a past president. She was a fixture in Montalcino her entire life and with her family, was dedicated to the production of the highest quality Sangiovese Grosso.
Lisini is known to produce beautiful Brunellos even in difficult vintages, so what would they do in a stellar one? I could not wait to find out when I opened the first bottle from our cellar on a recent summer evening, including a variety of pizzas on our patio with family and friends. I wanted to give the wine plenty of time to open up and planned to decant but temptation took over – I did take one tiny sip right after the cork popped. The aroma alone made resisting all but impossible as it has very appealing wild floral notes – something akin to wandering though open fields in bloom. The first sip? Explosive! Big, juicy berries like I had just picked them myself. Waiting for the decant time just got more difficult…
An hour after the cork slipped free from the bottle, the real experience began. The nose was still slightly floral though blackberry and deep spices were more apparent now. On the palate, the blackberry continued, paired nicely with subtle savory notes, anise and tobacco, and the mouthfeel is exceptionally rich – this is definitely a full bodied Brunello di Montalcino (BdM). The finish was incredibly long and delivered more bold berry flavors balanced with more delicate floral notes. The 2010 Lisini BdM was perfect with the variety of pizzas we enjoyed that evening from roasted vegetable to traditional pepperoni, but I can also imagine it with other traditional Italian dished especially lasagna. The rich savory flavors and creamy cheeses would be nicely enhanced by the bold fruit presence and complex supporting notes.
2010 was an epic vintage for Brunello di Montalcino. "In my view, 2010 is the top Brunello di Montalcino vintage of the new millennium because it shows the best traits of my other two favorite vintages, 2006 and 2007... In 2010 you get it all." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni rated the 2010 Lisini BdM 95+ points and added that he found it to be a ‘stand out’ in this iconic vintage. I couldn’t agree more – I have tasted the 2010s since they started arriving last summer, and this is without a doubt one of my favorites! I highly recommend grabbing a six pack to have on hand, and we have it at just $54.99 a bottle. Only 2,200 cases were made with a release price of $78. They will be gone before we know it, much like the ‘04s and ‘07s that came before. Like those back vintages, the 2010 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino is best when served to family and friends. I can’t help but think that is the way Elina Lisini would want it.
“Lisini is one of Montalcino's historic, reference-point estates. The Brunellos are rich, savory and ample in body, all qualities readers will find in these new releases. The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino in particular is a real stand out.” - Antonio Galloni , 95+ Points
“Lisini's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino opens to dark concentration and extraction. On first nose, it shows floral aromas of pressed rose and violet, but after a few minutes in the glass the wine begins to offer dark cherry, dried blackberry, Indian spice, teriyaki sauce, crushed mineral, licorice and cola. Its personality bridges aspects of both elegance and power.” - Monica Larner, 94 Points