- CRITICAL REVIEWS
- WINEMAKER NOTES
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
2018 Casanova di Neri Cerretalto, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Italy
Cerretalto is a special blend of intuition, passion and vision – the hallmark of all Casanova di Neri’s work. The grapes hail mainly from a vineyard situated in a natural amphitheatre alongside a small river. The prized white truffles which grow in our private truffle reserve here bear witness to the purity of this environment. Soil rich in minerals, a very particular microclimate and low yield per plant coupled with our experience, dedication and passion for our work in the vineyard and in the cellar make Cerretalto a wine of immense character and harmonious structure. It's a wine of exceptional quality, personality and inimitable style – the perfect expression of the territory that nurtures it, the distillation of our idea of what a great Brunello should be. Cerretalto is a wine of outstanding character. Its uniqueness lies in the aroma’s graphite notes and sanguine undertones, and the extraordinary length and persistence of flavour on the palate. Its collection of accolades is incredible and unmatched: 100/100 Wine Advocate, 100/100 Wine Spectator, 100/100 James Suckling, 100/100 Falstaff, 100/100 Luca Gardini, 100/100 International Wine Report, 100/100 Wine Enthusiast.
Vintage
2018
Appellation
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Grape Variety
Sangiovese 100%
Giovanni Neri Tasting Notes
Cerretalto 2018 shows a young and lively red. The nose expresses a mix of fresh red fruits, spices and the usual graphite. On the palate it’s rich and harmonious, showing an elegant and fine structure that fully reflects the 2018 harvest. The finish is balanced and very precise, with a present acidity that perfectly balances the persistence, the deepness and the roundness of this wine.
Vintage Notes
The winter of 2018 was very cold, with temperatures so low that bud break occurred a week later than had been the norm for previous years. Spring rainfall was plentiful. The vines bloomed in the final week of May. Summer began cool, and June and July went by without extreme heat. A large range in diurnal temperatures in the period prior to harvest allowed the grapes to mature slowly and steadily.
Harvest
Manual, 2nd week of October
Vinification
Manual selection of the grapes before and after destemming, followed by a spontaneous fermentation without the addition of artificial yeast. Maceration is assisted by a falling down system, and everything is carried out inside open cone-shaped and temperature controlled fermenters for 32 days.
Ageing in Oak Barrels
36 months
Ageing in Bottles
24 months
Alchool/vol.
14,5%
Dry Extract (g/lt)
32
Total Acidity
5,71
Bottling Lot.
1121
Service Temperature (°c)
16-17°