Angry but not mad: Monty Waldin
You think you may have read too much about the tempest in Tuscany, but read this one last article by Monty Waldin on Jancis Robinson's site, please. The man knows the Brunello zone well and the small-town spites and greeds of the place all too well. The hypocrisy and lying are epic in scale. Note that the polemical and sometimes operatic Franco Ziliani gets full credit for not buying the official story in any of its shifting versions. By the way, in her intro, Jancis says he refers to Brunello di Montalcino as a "flawed" wine-producing zone. Further, lest we forget, this isn't a "historic" zone like Chianti; until a generation or so ago Montalcino was a dirt-poor town that grew veggies and wheat along with its grapes. Waldin covers this too.
Waldin is a respected winemaker in the up-and-coming Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. He also consults as a vineyard manager (biodynamic) in Brunello. Here is his disclaimer at the end of his article:
Disclaimer: I am paid as a biodynamic consultant to an
estate in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG zone. I am in charge of 10%
of the vineyards: a trial biodynamic plot of a field-blended vineyard,
one of the oldest in the zone (there are 2% white grapes of an unknown
varietal; around 5-10% Colorino; and the rest is Sangiovese. The vines
were planted in the 1950s. Around 40% of the vines are missing and are
being replaced). My main job is making biodynamic compost: biodynamic
cow manure + winery waste + chipped prunings from the estate's olive
trees + certified organic municipal compost + the six biodynamic
compost preparations. This compost is also now being used in other
vineyards on the estate, the initial trial having been deemed a
success. Cover cropping, herbal tea sprays and lunar pruning are other
useful practices that have been 'stolen' from biodynamics to be used on
the rest of the estate. None of the vines are certified
organic/biodynamic at this time. The general manager is insistent on
allowing me no access to the winery. He is currently being investigated
for Brunellopoli.
As you can see, the whole article is worth reading. And it spares no one in Montalcino.
Dude, purple me at sr_macneil@charter.net
Posted by: Sharon | August 09, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Monty Waldin is unfortunately telling the truth; his is a deep analysis of the situation of which I agree completely but in one point: I have yet to see a pure Sangiovese from California… but that may be my ignorance. I spare you some more information / news on the top of what Mr. Waldin says, that would make you just puke.
Posted by: Paolo B | August 10, 2008 at 07:53 PM
Paolo, email me if you want. Not that I want to puke, but still...
Posted by: Strappo | August 10, 2008 at 07:57 PM
can we receive your news letter?
Thanks
Posted by: laboratorio ricerca gusto | September 07, 2008 at 12:14 PM
i have not type key or type pad account
Posted by: elena soriano | September 07, 2008 at 12:17 PM