2010 Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Manachiara Sangiovese

2010 Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Manachiara

98 JS

From the critics:

94 WS

93 RP

93 AG

91 W&S

90 WE

Featured Review

Very complex aromas of tanned leather, dried fruits and flowers. So beautiful to smell. This is so full and velvety-textured with amazing richness and complexity. Such a gorgeous, exciting wine. Long and caressing. Turns savory and succulent. Fantastic. Greatest wine ever from here. Drink or hold. James Suckling

James Suckling | 98 JS

This red exhibits harmony from the outset, with sweet plum and cherry jam flavors, accented by licorice and leather aromas. The focus intensifies as this evolves on the palate, leaving a firm, tightly wound finish. Hangs together nicely, so give this some time. Best from 2018 through 2035. 835 cases made, 180 cases imported.

Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The Nardi family’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara opens to rich saturation and concentration followed by a full bouquet of generous spice and dark fruit. Dark plum, prune, blackberry and cassis all emerge on the nose to be followed quickly by spice, cola, tar and licorice. This is an intense Brunello to the nth degree. Sweet oak tannins wrap thickly over the palate and remind you that the wine needs a few more years of bottle aging.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Manachiara is dark, bold and powerful. Sweet red cherry, plum, hard candy, flowers and mint rush forward as this succulent, open-knit Riserva shows off its personality. The Manachiara is quite forward and fruit-driven, yet it is also very nicely balanced throughout. This is a terrific showing from Nardi.

Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Harvested from the clay and sandstone soils of the Manachiara vineyard in eastern Montalcino, this wine rested 18 months in French oak barriques and another year in large Slavonian casks. It shows a quiet elegance, with vibrant flavors of cherry and plum dusted with bittersweet chocolate and savory licorice that end in a trail of smoke. The wine feels dense and coiled, the tannins reining in the flavors for now, but there’s an echo of fruit and spice that’s waiting to emerge.
Kobrand, Purchase, NY

Wine and Spirits Mag

| 91 W&S

Attractively smoky, cherry, liquorice, and clove aromas. Very juicy on the mid palate with plenty of cherry jam notes. Tannins are firm and the palate is complex with dark spices and mocha on the finish. Drinking Window: 2016 - 2030

Decanter
| 90 DEC

Aromas of toasted oak, berry, spearmint and stewed plum lead the nose on this concentrated wine. The dense palate offers mature plum, fleshy black cherry, vanilla and licorice alongside assertive tannins that need to unwind. Drink after 2018.

Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Type of Wine	Brunello : As you indulge in some fine Brunello, and you gaze into the deep brown elixir, your tongue will almost pulsate with excitement, as rich flavors of black cherry, chocolate, black raspberry, and blackberry are woven together like a heartfelt poem. An earthy, leathery undertone provides excellent contrast next to all the fruit, rounding out the experience .
Varietal	Sangiovese : When it comes to Tuscan wine, Sangiovese is king. This mighty grape variety resides not only in Tuscany, but throughout Italy. The varietal is responsible for some of the greatest wines in the country, including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the infamous “Super Tuscans.” Sangiovese is extremely capable of adapting to the various climates and terroirs of Italy but is quite at home in Tuscany, where it is believed to have been birthed. Like most ancient grape varieties, there are many speculations about Sangiovese’s true time and place of origin. Some theories claim the Sangiovese grape dates back to the Etruscan era and cultivated mostly in Tuscany. Another theory is that it was cultivated by the ancient Romans. Sangiovese is believed to have been first documented in 1590 by agronomist, Gian Vettorio Soderini who talked about ‘Sanghiogeto” in an essay. There is no definitive evidence that ‘Sanghiogeto’ is the Sangiovese grape that is beloved and famous today; however, it is still considered by many to be the first appearance of the grape in written fashion. It wouldn’t be until the 18th century that Sangiovese would become well-known and started being planted all over the region. It was mentioned in l’Oenologia Toscana, written by Cosimo Villafranchi in 1773, in which he discussed the winemaking process of Chianti and the use of Sangiovese. Today, Sangiovese accounts for 10% of all winemaking grapes planted in Italy. This statistic may not seem significant but taken into consideration there are 350 authorized grape varieties across 20 wine regions, it is quite remarkable. Due to its versatility, Sangiovese is one of the most diverse grape varieties used in winemaking. However, the grape can be temperamental and sensitive to the environment in which it is planted. It is very much similar to the Pinot Noir in this fashion. Wines made with Sangiovese grapes can turn out tasting extremely different, based on climate, terroir and process. While the varietal can successfully grow most places, it tends to grow best in hot, dry climates with terroir composed mostly of shallow, limestone soils. Famously native to Tuscany but Sangiovese also grows in many other winemaking locations in Italy, such as Umbria in Central Italy, Campania in the South and Romagna where the grape is known as Sangiovese di Romagna. There are approximately 71,000 hectares of Sangiovese covering the earth’s surface, 62,725 of which reside in Italy (mostly Tuscany). Outside Italy, Sangiovese has grown quite popular in many winegrowing regions around the world, including the French Island of Corsica, where it ranks 2nd among all Sangiovese growing localities. It was introduced to Argentina in the late 19th century by Italian immigrants and remains successful in the region of Mendoza. Although Sangiovese was brought to America in the 1880’s, it was unpopular until the 1980’s when “Super Tuscans” caused a re-emergence of the grape in Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast. Sangiovese has also gained popularity in Barossa Valley in Southern Australia. The thin skinned, medium sized, blue-black berries of Sangiovese produce medium to full bodied, dry and highly acidic wines with fruity and savory flavors of plum, cherry, licorice, leather, tobacco and dust. Sangiovese may be synonymous with Brunello, and vice-versa, but the world of Sangiovese is far more intricate than a single wine, a single village, hillside town or designated area of control. It is the exclusive varietal and shining star in Brunello di Montalcino and provides the backbone for Chianti and many of the great Italian wines, and has gained an outstanding reputation as one of the world’s great grape varietals.
Country	Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France. Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate. The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned. The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market. With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
Region	Tuscany : Italian culture worships the concept of a shared meal, and their wines scream for a chance to be uncorked with your friends and family. The region's Mediterranean climate and hilly landscape combine to create a beautiful viticultural environment, where every chosen grape is brought to its full potential and transmuted into drinks worthy of gods. The vineyards are planted along the higher reaches of the hill slopes, creating a gorgeous view of the Italian landscape. Once your lips kiss the wine, you're sent spiraling down a veritable whirlpool of pure flavor, touching upon notes of sensuous cherry, nuts, floral hints and undertones of honey and minerals. The wines can be as sweet as a fresh summer romance, and carry an air of dignity and elegance about them that can stimulate your intellect for months as you contemplate the seemingly infinite intricacies and details in the texture. Tuscany is an important part of Italian viticulture, and sampling their wines is the closest you can get to visiting this heavenly region and experiencing the culture.
Subregion	Brunello di Montalcino
Climat/Vineyard	Manachiara

Producer	Tenute Silvio Nardi : Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s most famous and prestigious wines, commanding world-wide attention each year. With a production of nearly one million cases finding its way into the finest restaurants and connoisseur wine cellars around the world, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (Denomination of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed) has become one of Tuscany’s most important winemaking locations, perhaps right alongside Chianti Classico. Producers like Silvio Nardi have helped to pave the way, catapulting Tuscany into the spotlight that it very much enjoys today. Tenute Silvio Nardi was founded in 1950 when Silvio Nardi, owner of a farming equipment company in Umbria, purchased his first property in the unknown country village of Casale del Bosco in Montalcino. At the time, the region was slowly recovering from physical and financial damages caused by the Second World War. The struggling rural economy had been depending primarily on cereals; however, Silvio understood the potential of viticulture of the land. Thus, he joined the small number of historical viticultural entrepreneurs of the land such as Biondi Santi and Colombini in an effort to illuminate the bright possibilities of the region’s terroir. Nardi was among the first six companies of the appellation to bottle Brunello in the early 1950s. As the company grew, he acquired new holdings. In 1962, he expanded the estate by purchasing the 40-hectare estate of Manachiara near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Again in 1970, the Nardi family continued its expansion with the acquisition of Castello di Bibbiano near Casale del Bosco. Since 1990, Tenute Silvio Nardi has been under the control of Emilia Nardi, Silvio’s daughter. She has overseen the release of the estate's premium single-vineyard Brunello di Montalcino wines, which would not have been possible without Amelia’s persistent efforts in elevating the estate’s quality. She implemented the extensive zonation study of their land, a project of renowned agronomist and winemaker Andrea Paoletti that was focused on identifying the best sites and exposures and which terroir would best represent their qualities into the wines. At the same time, following meticulous sampling of the soils at various depths, the vineyards were sub-divided into 36 parcels and 50 sub-parcels, each distinctive for its climate and soil profile. This enormous scientific project has established what the two estates are today; 80 hectares consisting primarily of Sangiovese, but also Syrah, Colorino, Merlot, Petit Verdot and small amounts of Malvasia. “I want our wines to express the essence of each vineyard of that unique area of Tuscany that is Montalcino” exclaims Amelia Nardi. The Montalcino vineyards of Manachiara and Casale del Bosco, are responsible for the production of Tenute Silvio Nardis’ world-class single-vineyard Brunellos. The Vigneto Manachiara bottling comes from the estate of that name in the east of Montalcino. The wine is classic Brunello, showcasing clean, intense and complex aromas, a mellow first impact with a steady evolution; great structure enveloped with sweet, supple tannins. The Vigneto Poggio Doria release is made from grapes grown in a vineyard within the Casale del Bosco estate in the west of the commune. Compared to the Manachiara it spends an extra year in bottle before release, thus imposing on it a long and balanced palate, smooth and persistent notes which bring the elegance of present and velvety tannins, for which the wine is characterized. The Tenute Silvio Nardi portfolio also includes an estate Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino as well as a trio of red wines made under other appellations from fruit cultivated in Montalcino. A decadent, late-harvest Moscadello di Montalcino, and Vin Santo Sant'Antino Occhio di Pernice, consisting of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Malvasia, round out the wine portfolio in sweet fashion. Together, these wines validate Silvio Nardi’s incredible foresight, evidence the terroir’s positive influence on winemaking and demonstrates that Sangiovese achieves perfection in Montalcino. The style that the family has always desired, is to display an authentic expression of the unique personalities of the land they are cultivated in. This extends to the essentiality of the winemaking philosophy, so greatly applied to the meticulous care of all vineyard details by the “Lady of Brunello” Amelia Nardi.