Montalcino, 2007 vintage: Comments apply to all wines coming from the town of Montalcino, not just Brunello. However the star ratings from one to five given below are those given by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino specifically for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.

2007 ***** (five)

2007 Growing season: Mild winter with little rain. ‘A year with no winter.’ High spring temperatures. Moderate summer turning very hot and sunny July. Much needed rain in August. Slightly earlier harvest than normal. Warmer overall than 2006. Jan Erbach of Pian dell’Orino told me 2007 ‘brought a very hot and sunny July which was saved by rain [later] in July.’ August was less hot than usual with some rain. The first half of September brought sun and heat, allowing the grapes to ripen fully. There was rain in the second half of September but the weather soon settled allowing complete ripeness by the month’s end. Francesco Monaci from Agostina Pieri described 2007 as ‘a year with no winter, with overall temperatures warmer than normal, but without heat spikes.’

2007 Wine style: ‘Big, bold fruit and soft tannins…were generously bestowed in 2007,’ says Walter Speller (2013). ‘Suprisingly well-balanced wines of real breed and power despite some excessive summer heat,’ (Ian D’Agata 2016 Decanter Italy). ‘The 2007s are ripe, forward and flashy, but don’t seem to have the visceral thrill of the 2006s or 2010s. Most growers I spoke with plan to release their top selections…less consistent than either 2006 or 2010,’ (Antonio Galloni). Riper, warmer wines compared to 2008.

2007 Production: The vineyard area comprised 1,916 hectares for Brunello and 485 hectares for Rosso producing 84,818hl of Brunello and 23,382hl of Rosso respectively.

Bibliography

Antonio Galloni, ‘2006 Brunello: The Emperor’s New Clothes or Historic Vintage?’. Vinous.com