On Monday 18th of March, the first vertical tasting of Beatesca took place in the private room of the famous Florentine restaurant Cibreo. The histrionic Chef Fabio Picchi cooked at the rhythm of the seasons since 1979, forty years exactly! On stage 6 vintages of Brunello, from the 2009 harvest to the 2014 harvest.
The first vintage produced was 2005. Until 2008, the bottles produced were very few, and were used by Furio and Benedetta as a moment of “divertissement” and break-in. The first part of the year 2009, especially the spring season, at the beginning of the vegetative development of the vine, was very rainy, with a high accumulation of water reserves in the soil. This rather rainy phase lasted for a long time, until mid-July. In the second part of the summer, the climate was very dry and hot. The previously accumulated water reserves turned out to be very useful. The maturation has improved starting from the middle of the month of August with a regular trend up to the harvest, when thunderstorms have mitigated the summer heat. The 2010 harvest was considered by critics to be one of the best in recent years. The abundant spring rains caused a delay in the vegetative phase of the vines, but the good daytime climate and the rather low nighttime temperatures led to a progressive ripening of the grapes, characterized by a high acidity and a high content of polyphenols. The Brunello 2010 is a deep ruby red color. The olfactory notes are mainly of fresh red berry fruit. With the laying in the glass, mineral hints of blond tobacco and flint, finally Mediterranean maquis, emerge. On the palate it is still very young, although of great structure, thick, full-bodied and powerful with an elegant and soft tannic texture. A Brunello to which we must give more time in the cellar, as befits a great vintage of a wine that will have an extraordinary longevity. The Brunello 2011 by Beatesca has a compact and important ruby color. The olfactory notes are of ripe cherry, marasca cherry, sour cherries and plum for a nice softness, cleanliness, fascinating expressive persuasiveness for a sweet, elegant and powerful tannin. With an important presence of alcohol, fortunately supported by a large acid prick and a solid vertical plant, it makes you want to drink it and drink it again. The Brunello 2012 has benefited from the production soil, fresh, ventilated and rich in underground waters: with a deep and concentrated ruby color, the olfactory notes reveal a very ripe black fruit with a noticeable blackberry appearance and then evolving towards sweet spicy tones. On the palate it is alcoholic, fat and fleshy, but the tannins are a little dry and hard. The Brunello 2013 is bright ruby in color, the olfactory notes has an intense aromatic profile with fresh mentholated notes of nipitella and thyme at the beginning then nuances of ripe red fruit, undergrowth, licorice graphite, and finally herbaceous traces. On the palate, it offers vibrant and mineral notes, responsible for good persistance and supported by sweet tannins. The last 2014 vintage was characterized by a particularly rainy and cold summer, for which the rigorous and accurate selection of healthy grapes was fundamental, combined with the readiness and professionalism with which the winemakers were able to face the adverse weather conditions.