Pian dell’Orino
pian dell’orino brunello
Soldera. Biondi Santi. The two giants of Brunello. Pretty soon it looks like we might be able to add Pian dell’Orino to that list. Brunello insiders have known about the wines for several years now, but the secret seems to be getting out. We don’t get a lot of these wines, but we have enough to offer them today and we’re really excited to share them with you.
Piano dell’Orino combines two things that make great wine estates: good land and obsessive ownership. Caroline Pobitzer and Jan Hendrik Erbach, the owners and driving force behind these wines, have a take-no-prisoners approach to ensure that they make the finest wines in Brunello. From careful, biodynamic farming to native yeast fermentions, the wines are traditional in style but made with the utmost care, so they have silky tannin and elegant structures. The estate is also the next ridge over from Biondi-Santi, which helps. The only thing we would change about the wines is the quantities we get!
Below are two of the eight wines we offer from Pian dell’Orino, all of which are in stock now!
Pian dell’Orino Brunello di Montalcino 2011 750ML ($119.95) Buy Now: $89 special
Wine Advocate 94 points “This wine is now identified by a single vineyard designation but was once the estate’s annata Brunello. The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante (with vines planted in 1997) shows some signs of the vintage heat, but really only in terms of textural roundness and general softness. The bouquet sings loud and clear with red fruit aromas of cherry and blackberry. The fruit is nicely balanced by those elegant, ethereal notes of blue flower, balsam herb, cola and crushed pine nut that are characteristic of aged Sangiovese.”
Pian dell’Orino Piandorino 2013 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $29 special
Wine Advocate 90 points “This entry-level Sangiovese was first made in 1997. The 2013 Piandorino could be a Rosso di Montalcino but has remained an IGT expression out of choice. Grapes are sourced from vineyards with blue and gray-colored clay soils that sometimes lead to ripening problems in extreme temperatures. As a result, this simple red sees short maceration times (from seven to nine days). The results are fresh, clean and simple. There is a very nice and genuine quality here that is the wine’s most attractive quality.”
Antonio Galloni 89 points “The 2013 Piandorino, the estate’s entry-level Sangiovese, is fabulous. Bright, punchy and forward, with plenty of Pian dell’Orino’s signature finesse, the 2013 is absolutely delicious today. It should drink nicely for another few years at a minimum.”