2023 Rosso di Montalcino

A bright ruby/red hue, the 2023 Rosso Di Montalcino will be the only wine from the 2023 vintage released by Pian Dell'Orino. Tasted as a barrel sample, it will go into bottle later this year. In the glass, it opens to bright lifted notes of pomegranate, incense, fresh flowers, and tangerine. The palate is focused and linear, with snappy acidity, coiled tannins, and a citrus-noted finish. A singular wine that's pristine and Burgundian in nature, as it opens, it shows off the complexity and refinement that's emblematic of the work done at this estate. While I respect the decision to not produce Brunello given the challenges of the vintage, there's a lot of promise in this “Rosso,” which reminds me of some of the best wines from more challenging vintages around the world, where the wine takes on a life of its own and is unlike any other wine in the portfolio. Situated next to the historic Biondi Santi, Jan Hendrik Erbach and his wife Caroline have been consistently raising the bar and making some of the most exceptional wines of the region. As noted at the beginning of the report, the wines are held back an additional year or more, depending on when Jan feels the wines are ready to be released. They work biodynamically in the vineyard and make adjustments with regard to production, only permitting what they feel is the best expression of their property to go into the final wines. Each of the wines for this report were tasted at the estate in Montalcino.