BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
2016 Helichrysum San Polino
Helichrysum comes from the southeast, in the area of Podernovi where high altitudes counter the warmth. The vines are pruned closely to give low-yields of grapes with thick skins and less juice. More powerfully structured than the estate Brunello, this is mouthfilling and expansive. Baked asphalt and iron lend intrigue to youthfully exuberant plum and wild strawberry. The tannins seem to grab at every part of the mouth with a sandy, grainy texture, and the persistent finish features clove and allspice. Tons of energy here. Drinking range: 2024 - 2039 Rating: 97 Michaela Morris, Decanter (Apr 2021)
In Bond
75cl bottles (case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
Lustrous deep ruby. Huge depth on the nose, yet contained at the same time. Perfumed cherry with salty, minerally notes and a hint of damson. Lush, tangy and succulent on the palate with polished tannins adding chew and a fine grip. Very long with lots of juice and fruit, but without going over the top. (WS) 14.5% Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 18.5 Walter Speller, www.jancisrobinson.com (Mar 2021)
Wow. This is really complex on the nose with black cherries, mushrooms, dried flowers and cedar. Some crushed stone and dry earth or tile. This is full-bodied and very layered with wonderful depth of fruit and creamy tannins. It’s focused and serene. Better than 2015. From organically grown grapes. Try in 2024 and onwards. Drinking range: 2024 - Rating: 98 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Nov 2020)
Exotic, spicy, enticing, sultry; these are just a few of the words that come to mind while taking in the bouquet of the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Helichuyrum. Sour cherries mix with mint, sage, cedar dust and white smoke to form a seductive display. It’s velvety in texture with ripe polished fruits that seem to come in waves, each time building more and more tension as minerals and fine tannins slowly saturate. The sheer density here nearly masks its structural heft, which is not to say that this lacks balance; in fact, the 2016 Helichuyrum is in perfect form. Lavender, blackberry and a hint of licorice linger long through the dark and dramatic finale. Drinking range: 2024 - 2036 Rating: 94 Eric Guido, www.vinous.com (Nov 2020)
San Polino
Thirty years ago, Luigi Fabbro and Londoner Katia Nussbaum founded San Polino – Montalcino’s first certified organic estate - with 4 (now 5) hectares of vines and 16 of forest, 9km from the town to the south-east on the way to Castelnuovo. They now have another site on the other side, 5 hectares of vines bordering Fuligni and Padelletti.
Katia, daughter of Romanian-Jewish father and brought up in Putney, had always felt a fish out of water in London, and had met Luigi ('Gigi') from Friuli in Katmandhu in her gap year. Having completed her education at SOAS, she went to join him in Italy. Luigi, a trained chemist and former computer scientist, brought his experiences mapping the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest to this corner of Tuscany, and the couple aim to 'create wines as complete reflections of the biodiversity of the terroir'.
Blessed with an extraordinary range of soil types across their land – from ancient sea beds to volcanic minerals - they are self-proclaimed extremists when it comes to organic farming, using microorganisms in place of sulphur and copper in the vineyard. Their own compost is made from the stalks and skins from the grapes, and grasses and beans are regularly planted to add nutrients to the soil and increase biodiversity. The wines undergo spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts, and see a 45-day maceration on skins, before being pressed and raised in large Slavonian and French oak for three years. 5% of the oak is new, for a hint of spice.
The vineyards have been organic since 1994 and are also certified biodynamic. The philosophy of biodynamics, with its emphasis on harmony and balance, plus obsessive care in the winemaking, lends the wines a phenomenal amount of elegance and purity of fruit, with a finish that seems to go on forever.
ORDERING VIA OUR WEBSITE:
- Add cases to your Wishlist (which appears in the sidebar and header separately from the main basket) which you can click to view and edit.
- Submit your Wishlist with your details.
- We will respond as quickly as possible with confirmation of your order and your invoice.
N.b. Certain wines which are on very tight allocations will be offered first to customers who buy across the range.
Alternatively please call or email the team () or your normal Lea and Sandeman contact.
ELEPHANT PRIVATE STORAGE: We will deliver your wines to your Elephant In Bond storage account unless otherwise specified. You can find more details on L&S storage here or contact our primeurs team for more information. Do however proceed with your order first in order to secure your allocation, your storage account can be arranged later.
PRE-SHIPMENT FAQ
PRICES: This is a primeur offer - all prices are quoted IN BOND & Duty Paid ex-VAT. The prices are per pack as detailed - so if a wine is listed in twelve-bottle cases, the price given is per twelve, or if listed in in six-bottle cases, the price given is per six, and so on. If it looks too cheap (and even if it does not) check the case size!
DELIVERY COSTS: The in bond prices are for in bond delivery. Under bond delivery to an Elephant storage account at Octavian Corsham is free, but under bond delivery to other bonds or accounts may incur additional charges. If the wines are required duty-paid, a duty and VAT invoice will be raised once all the wines on an order are available.
PAYMENT: Orders will be invoiced for payment by cheque, cash, debit card or cleared funds to our account.
DELIVERY TIMING: The wines are not yet physically available, but will be shipped to us in Autumn this year and then on to your or your storage account.