Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Piaggione 2018

In 1994, Francesco Leanza reclaimed the land that is now known as Podere Salicutti. He planted the vines on the slope around the cantina, the heart of the estate. Salicutti's latifundia cover a total of 11 hectares of land, divided into 4.5 hectares of vines, an olive grove and woodland. In 2015, Sabine and Felix Eichbauer took over the farm and consistently continue Leanza's organic claim - with a critically-reflective eye on the influence of man and cultivation techniques. Podere Salicutti is the first organically certified winery in Montalcino. The vines, planted in 1994, stand in soils that have never been in contact with conventional sprays.

The Cru Piaggione is 1.2 hectares in size and lies at the foot of the cantina in an east-southeast facing vineyard with skeleton-rich limestone soils at an altitude of 420 to 450 metres. The vineyard is divided by a terrain step into two differently homogeneous plots and was planted in 1994 and 2007. The wines from Piaggione are comparable to a fist in a velvet glove.

Dark ruby red, transparent and clear.

Powerful and nourishing, the 2018 Piaggione from Podere Salicutti exudes its perfume from the goblet Salumi like culatello give it plenty of umami on the nose, followed by mild spicy notes reminiscent of black pepper and allspice. Underneath slumbers the dark fruit, which here acts more as an accompaniment than as a leitmotif Amarena cherries and some mulberry are garnished by sandalwood and some dark chocolate in the overtone range. Distinctive type with a hedonistic-opulent nature.

Also in the nose it shows its distinctive, powerful side. Meaty in the nose, it also has a lot of umami on the palate, along with slightly toasty notes and a sensational tannin that gives it its meaty bite. Tightly woven and low-pitched, you'd think you could chew it. Black cardamom and pepper fill its spice box, dark notes of tobacco and leather give it further depth. Despite its youth, it is highly balanced with good pressure and solid tension on the mid palate. Large glasses are obligatory at this stage, time for contemplative enjoyment is advisable.