Montanello, Tenuta
From an on site visit May 2017
Tenuta Montanello has intrigued me for over a decade, with it's terrific hillside vineyards just to the north of Cavallotto's Bricco Boschis and Mascarello's Monprivato it is an enviable position. Alberto Racca, who inherited the property at the close of the 1990s has been hard at work, slowly replanting the vineyards, converting to less impactful farming, and in general reviving a property that had once served as the first Cantina Sociale of the region. The wines represent an intelligent synthesis of tradition and modernity, though still playing a bit of catch up perhaps. It is possible, and even probable now that I've seen many vintage in bottle, that, not with standing this property's proximity to the aforementioned vineyards of fame, it may in fact have more in common with the Parussi vineyard which lies once again to the north. A vine
2015 Tenuta Montanello Dolcetto d'Alba 13%
Aged in inox
Lovely nose, lean and tart with floral top notes and intensity with a decidedly red fruit tone, evergreen and a little balsamic shadings. It's really interesting, not terribly fruit driven, though more red than purple fruit with lots of acid, making for a fresh, balanced and juicy example of Dolcetto that’s a bit rustic, a bit short, not terribly fruity, but has the sweetness of ripeness. 86pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Barbera d'Alba 14%
Aged in inox
Rather intensely aromatic with lovely leather, black cherry, balsamic, and dried herb aromas with just a hint of of black pepper. Pleasant in the mouth with good acids, lovely if simple sliced plum and red cherry fruit and a nice elegant nature. While lacking a touch of tension, this is clean and fresh, and the finish is actually very nice, long, with juicy acids and a lovely plummy nature. 87pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Barbera d'Alba Crochetta 15%
Aged in barrique, 20% new, for ten months,
The nose shows the influence of the wood, it's a bit spicy and sweet with pipe briar and tobacco and vaguely cinnamon notes. Texturally it's more opulent and round in style, there's still plenty of vibrant acidity supporting lovely fruit, though a bit riper with more juicy and dark, black cherry toned fruit with rather fine violet notes in the mouth all topped relatively gently by oak and spice. Wood tannin remains in the mouth, it sticks out for me, but would be barely noticeable for most people. 87pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Langhe Nebbiolo 15%
Aged only in inox
Classic nebbiolo nose, sweet, lightly spiced burnished cherry fruit with hints of cardamom and mint adding complexity. Rich and rather luscious in the mouth, though only medium plus body with soft tannins supporting sweet cherry berry fruit that is nicely aromatic in the mouth lending this an almost Barbaresco like feel. Juicy with a bit of quince on the backend, holds the alcohol really well, while this is fairly impressive, this is a touch short, though there's a lot to like here. Lacking a touch of focus and drive perhaps but this is a lot of Nebbiolo that is not trying to be baby Barolo. 88pts
2013 Tenuta Montanello Barolo 14.5%
Montanello
First year in small wood, second year in botte
2015 has started to produce a barolo that sees only two years in botte
Very pleasant, there's some wood here but there are also fine clay aromas, red cherry fruit and nuanced cinnamon spice, pork fat, and black pepper accents. In the mouth the oak spice is a bit assertive, noticeable on the dry, austere palate where the wood tannins are contributing to the impact here. Nicely structured for a thirteen, but this does carry significant tannins on the palate with little richness to the fruit. A bit short but this is fresh and fairly precise with dried maraschino cherry fruit, a hint of dried orange peel and some fairly pleasant baked pie crust notes on the finish. 87pts
Usually ferments five tanks of Nebbiolo, then chooses the best for Barolo, usually the Michet south facing vineyard while the Nebbiolo comes from the southwest facing big vineyards behind the tasting room part of the house
Tenuta Montanello has intrigued me for over a decade, with it's terrific hillside vineyards just to the north of Cavallotto's Bricco Boschis and Mascarello's Monprivato it is an enviable position. Alberto Racca, who inherited the property at the close of the 1990s has been hard at work, slowly replanting the vineyards, converting to less impactful farming, and in general reviving a property that had once served as the first Cantina Sociale of the region. The wines represent an intelligent synthesis of tradition and modernity, though still playing a bit of catch up perhaps. It is possible, and even probable now that I've seen many vintage in bottle, that, not with standing this property's proximity to the aforementioned vineyards of fame, it may in fact have more in common with the Parussi vineyard which lies once again to the north. A vine
2015 Tenuta Montanello Dolcetto d'Alba 13%
Aged in inox
Lovely nose, lean and tart with floral top notes and intensity with a decidedly red fruit tone, evergreen and a little balsamic shadings. It's really interesting, not terribly fruit driven, though more red than purple fruit with lots of acid, making for a fresh, balanced and juicy example of Dolcetto that’s a bit rustic, a bit short, not terribly fruity, but has the sweetness of ripeness. 86pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Barbera d'Alba 14%
Aged in inox
Rather intensely aromatic with lovely leather, black cherry, balsamic, and dried herb aromas with just a hint of of black pepper. Pleasant in the mouth with good acids, lovely if simple sliced plum and red cherry fruit and a nice elegant nature. While lacking a touch of tension, this is clean and fresh, and the finish is actually very nice, long, with juicy acids and a lovely plummy nature. 87pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Barbera d'Alba Crochetta 15%
Aged in barrique, 20% new, for ten months,
The nose shows the influence of the wood, it's a bit spicy and sweet with pipe briar and tobacco and vaguely cinnamon notes. Texturally it's more opulent and round in style, there's still plenty of vibrant acidity supporting lovely fruit, though a bit riper with more juicy and dark, black cherry toned fruit with rather fine violet notes in the mouth all topped relatively gently by oak and spice. Wood tannin remains in the mouth, it sticks out for me, but would be barely noticeable for most people. 87pts
2015 Tenuta Montanello Langhe Nebbiolo 15%
Aged only in inox
Classic nebbiolo nose, sweet, lightly spiced burnished cherry fruit with hints of cardamom and mint adding complexity. Rich and rather luscious in the mouth, though only medium plus body with soft tannins supporting sweet cherry berry fruit that is nicely aromatic in the mouth lending this an almost Barbaresco like feel. Juicy with a bit of quince on the backend, holds the alcohol really well, while this is fairly impressive, this is a touch short, though there's a lot to like here. Lacking a touch of focus and drive perhaps but this is a lot of Nebbiolo that is not trying to be baby Barolo. 88pts
2013 Tenuta Montanello Barolo 14.5%
Montanello
First year in small wood, second year in botte
2015 has started to produce a barolo that sees only two years in botte
Very pleasant, there's some wood here but there are also fine clay aromas, red cherry fruit and nuanced cinnamon spice, pork fat, and black pepper accents. In the mouth the oak spice is a bit assertive, noticeable on the dry, austere palate where the wood tannins are contributing to the impact here. Nicely structured for a thirteen, but this does carry significant tannins on the palate with little richness to the fruit. A bit short but this is fresh and fairly precise with dried maraschino cherry fruit, a hint of dried orange peel and some fairly pleasant baked pie crust notes on the finish. 87pts
Usually ferments five tanks of Nebbiolo, then chooses the best for Barolo, usually the Michet south facing vineyard while the Nebbiolo comes from the southwest facing big vineyards behind the tasting room part of the house