Fanti Brunello Di Motalcino

For our 26th anniversary dinner, my wife chose to cook some fine Italian cuisine. Being a special occasion, she decided to splurge on the wine. She visited one of our local wine shops and specifically asked for a Brunello. Being in a small Texas town, she didn't really have high expectations. But to her surprise, they actually had a few to choose from. In particular, they happened to have a 2000 vintage Fanti Tenuta San Filippo. Niether one of us is a Brunello expert, but I think my wife was intrigued by the year. If it's old, it must be good. So, she took a chance. It also didn't hurt that the shop owner offered her a 40% discount off of the labeled price.

Well, I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint. It had the look of a full bodied wine, but it was actually very soft. At the shop owner's recommendation, we did not decant (He was afraid that it would turn too quickly due to its age). I can't say that it actually would have, but it's hard to imagine that it could have helped make it more enjoyable. Besides, I have a friend that spent a couple of weeks in Montalcino a few years back. He said he never saw anyone decant the wine, so maybe breathing in the glass is the way to go with a Brunello.

The first Brunello we ever tried was not very memorable, but one must persevere. The Fanti proves the point and I'm ready for more. I just have to wait until the next special occasion. Cost wise, Brunellos aren't for every day .