Giovanni Neri Rosso di Montalcino, Casanova di Neri 2021 75cl
Casanova di Neri named this Rosso after Giovanni Neri, the man who founded the estate in 1971, and launched it for the family's 50th anniversary. It is a step up from a standard Rosso di Montalcino — the fruit comes largely from old vines in the Tocci vineyard down in the warmer Sesta area, a plot classified for Brunello and averaging around 45 years of age.
Montalcino sits at the southern end of Tuscany, and 2021 was a classically shaped vintage here: a spring frost trimmed the crop, and what followed had firm but fine tannins and fresh aromatics. That gives this Sangiovese more grip and structure than the easy-drinking Rosso stereotype suggests.
The estate describes it as punchy and bright, with a vinous freshness running through it. The nose is dark-fruited and quite sensual — cherry and blueberry to the fore — while the palate turns round and generous, the tannins soft and velvety rather than austere. It is Brunello's younger sibling made with intent, not an afterthought.
At £57 you are paying a little over usual Rosso money, but the old-vine sourcing and the extra depth earn it. This is a wine to open now and over the next four or five years, while the fruit is singing.
How to Serve
Serve at 16 to 18°C. A 30 to 60 minute decant helps the young fruit unwind; a standard red wine glass is fine.
Where to Drink It
The River Cafe, the obvious home for serious Italian bottles. Brat in Shoreditch for its live-fire cooking. Bocca aside, Bibendum handles a Tuscan red with ease.
Food Pairings
Sangiovese and tomato are old friends — a ragù over pappardelle is the move. Grilled lamb cutlets work too.
