The voice of the restaurateurs at the Brunello event

The last day of the event and the 2015 edition of “Benvenuto Brunello” is drawing to a close. And what better occasion could there be to talk to the restaurateurs and find out the role that is going to be occupied on the wine lists of restaurants all over the world by the vintages presented over the past few days in Montalcino? From the complex of Sant’Agostino, MontalcinoNews listens to the restaurateurs’ comments on the vintages that they’ve tasted.
For Francesco Gozzini (Ristorante il Guscio): “Extraordinary vintages, both the 2010 for Brunello and the 2013 for the Rosso. I think this is an excellent opportunity for Montalcino to show off its typical products and focus on its roots rather than get mixed up in the Tuscan wine “innovation” with an international flavour”. For Gianfranco Venuta (Trattoria Consolare): “A historical vintage that has to be known and presented to clients in the best possible way”. “The Rosso is within the reach of everyone here in Tuscany and even a pub has to offer wines of this kind” says Fausto Beligni (Zanzebur’s Pub), while for Massimiliano Catarsi of Ristorante Fratelli Catarsi: “the Rosso is really interesting, the Brunello has excellent potential and the Reserves are already outstanding. It is up to us restaurateurs to make the most of the wines and excellences like Brunello, and it is important to come to the places where they’re produced to tell their story through the terroir”. Andrea Baldeschi (Ristorante MarinaOne) says that “the vintage stands out as one of the best in recent years. An important moment to taste the finest selection of Montalcino wines. The Brunello is still not showing at the levels it should, the Rosso is already offering extremely interesting perfumes in the nose and persistence on the palate”. The staff, sommelier Mirka Guberti and maître Riccardo Nocera, of the Michelin-starred Glass Hostaria, say that: “the 2010 Brunello needs more time but is already expressing all the verve and structure of a great wine and a great vintage, typical of the terroir. For a weighty wine list, in a weighty restaurant, Brunello embodies one of the expressions of Italian excellence. Coming to Montalcino allows you to convey your experiences to customers who order Brunello”.
“Brunello is very important for Japan. Lots of people like this wine and seek it out, making it essential for me to taste as many as possible and take my knowledge back to Japan”, says Mika Kawaguchi of the restaurant “Endorisaburo Shoten”. For Einar Stokke of Enoteca Toscana: “I find that the 2010 is an exceptional vintage, and proof of this lies in the fact that numerous producers have told me that they have already sold everything. It is a product that has to appear on the wine list of every restaurant and wine bar”.
Unanimous judgements and excellent results both for the vintages and the event.