Emmanuel Brochet on Mont Benoit and Stella di Campalto on the southern slopes of Montalcino, two remarkable wi...

Emmanuel Brochet on Mont Benoit and Stella di Campalto on the southern slopes of Montalcino, two remarkable winemakers, two challenging vintages. Brochet’s 2020 Champagne comes from a very ripe and early year, with harvest already in August. Despite the richness of the vintage, his wine carries it gracefully. He balances ripe fruit with phenolic touch on the finish, adding structure smartly. The mousse is creamy and fine. Rarely do I find Pinot Meunier playing such a leading role while remaining so hedonistic and harmonious. Brochet truly mastered a surreal Covid year, it is a deeply satisfying Champagne. Stella di Campalto’s Libero 2014, on the other hand, arises from what many call a terrible vintage. While studying Sangiovese, I didn’t hear mixed opinions about 2014, and yes, it really was a difficult year. Yet this wine is proof that Stella simply cannot make an uninteresting wine, no matter the conditions. Libero 2014 is the most captivating Sangiovese from 2014 I’ve ever tasted, alongside Stella’s regular Rosso from the same year. (There are no Brunellos, remember, horrible vintage.) It reflects every nuance of a cool vintage: floral and ethereal, at its core. It may not be a typical Montalcino, but its softly textured tannins and delicate charm make it an interesting wine. After around eight years of aging in the cellar, Libero has become a wine of weightless grace, it is perfumed, it is gentle. It might not be her most glamorous Rosso. Still, I choose it over her 2016 Rosso; I know 2016 is the more complex and better wine, but 2014 won’t last forever. It’s a rare and unique moment in her work, and I’m glad to have caught it at its peak. #sangiovese #champagne #winediary #rarewine