la Gerla Brunello Di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino is the name of a Tuscan red wine style, made from the Sangiovese clone called Brunello, and this bottle from La Gerla is sold under that name. The listing doesn't give a vintage, so check the label before planning around its age. Wines under this name are typically dry and medium-full to full in body. Expect sour cherry, dried plum and red currant, with notes of leather, tobacco, dried herbs and sometimes orange peel or balsamic. Acidity is usually bright, and the tannins are firm and fine-grained, which gives the wine a dry, structured grip. Traditional examples spend years in large neutral oak casks and then bottle age, so oak tends to show as subtle spice rather than overt vanilla. The finish is generally long and savory. Tannin and acidity are what steer the food pairing. Both cut through fat, so the wine suits bistecca alla fiorentina, braised short rib, lamb shoulder, or pappardelle with wild boar or beef ragù. It also works with mushroom dishes, roasted game birds and aged cheeses such as Pecorino Toscano stagionato or Parmigiano-Reggiano. Delicate fish and spicy dishes tend to clash with its structure. Serve it at about 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C), which is slightly cooler than room temperature. In a warm room, 20 minutes in the refrigerator before opening helps. A wine of this style usually benefits from air. Open it an hour or two ahead, or decant it for 45 to 90 minutes. If it is an older bottle with sediment, decant it gently off the lees, and pour it sooner after decanting. A large-bowled red wine glass or a Burgundy-style glass gives the aromatics room to open and softens the tannin on the palate. For cellaring, Brunello has a reputation as a long-lived style. Bottles from good vintages often keep improving for a decade or more when stored on their side in a cool, dark place at a steady temperature. Younger examples are approachable with a decant and a rich meal, but they usually show the best balance once the tannins have softened. If you plan to hold this bottle, a few years of cellaring is a reasonable starting point.