2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento
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Tasting notes
South-facing alberello, or bush vine, vineyard on very rocky soil at 620 m elevation. Large temperature differences between day and night. This is the first vintage. Lustrous and just mid ruby with orange tinges. Lots of concentration and yet not rich. Deep cherry aroma. Surprisingly high in acidity but melts into the fruit on the finish, which is layered with powdery tannins. Nervy and just escapes being tart, with long perfumed fruit. (WS)
Critic scores
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento (with 3,020 bottles made) sees its fruit sourced from one of the highest places in the appellation, or the "pass of the extinguished lantern," as the wine's name translates into English. It is part of a broader trend that Montalcino vintners seem to be looking for cooler, high-altitude growing sites for Sangiovese. This wine demonstrates without a doubt that elevation is key in obtaining elegance in the warm years. This Brunello is particularly bright, punchy and energetic. It is one of the stars of this report.
The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento lifts up with a delicate bouquet of sweet herbs and tobacco, incredibly lifted yet spicy, and a bit exotic, as a flourish of mineral-laden crushed stone fills the glass. It’s silky-smooth and savory, presenting a pure display of wild berries enlivened by bright acidity and a salty flourish. This tapers off lean and mineral in nature, with grippy tannins offset by a burst of sour citrus. The Passo del Lume Spento hails from what Riccardo Campinoti believes is currently the highest-elevation vineyard-producing Brunello in the region, at 621 meters. It found a very pretty balance in the 2017 vintage.