I think everyone knows about my love for Montalcino. Our Fratelli Brunello sold out overnight after this review from Campbell Mattinson.
Tag Archives: Fratelli D’Anna
Our next project? paolovino…….
I like to think that my mind is wired a little different to most. I am also lucky that I have the ability to not only think differently but to make these thoughts turn into reality and produce a result, either via a new winery discovery (Passopisciaro, Lamoresca, Gran Sasso, Parri, etc) or a new wine (i.e. Fratelli D’Anna).
Sometimes it is easy to accept what we are given. To say ok that must be it. It takes more thought and effort to say no, that is not ok. And push forward to bigger and better things. In regards to the labels we have created like Parri Chianti and Umberto Luigi Domenico Prosecco this has certainly been the case and the results speak for themselves. I also love the fact that I work with talented people like artist Meredith Gaston to create wines that are distinctly recognisable by so many people.
Projects like Fratelli D’Anna (think Rosso and Brunello) have also been a massive success. To the point whereby we will soon not publicise the release date of both wines so that we actually have stock when they land in Australia for more than a few days. The Fratelli wines have given me a lot of joy especially working with people in Italy who understand what we do and also releasing wines under a label that is now recognised in a short amount of time for it’s quality. The more I travel to Italy and visit Montalcino, the more I realise just how special this town is. How complex and age-worthy the best examples of Sangiovese Grosso can be and the more I want to better promote and educate people who appreciate fine wine in Australia about these wines. Lucky for companies like mine, there already has been the groundwork laid by amazing importers like Trembath and Taylor and historically Arquilla. I would like to think that Mondo Imports has been able to join them in representing some of the best estates (at both low and high price points) and educating people just how good the wines from Montalcino can be.
Our next project should land in the second half of the year, and it is two $20 wines from Veneto. Whilst drinking Amarone is not my favourite pastime, I recognise that good Valpolicella and Pinot Grigio from this region will have a strong following in Australia so we have been working with one of the best wineries from Veneto in creating wines that reflect the strengths of the Veneto region.
These wines are named after a good friend in the wine industry who was instrumental on a number of levels in helping start out as an importer of Italian wine into Australia eight years ago. Paolo is from Veneto so I thought it was fitting to name this new project after him.
What am I planning next?
Not sure, but I am thinking maybe Sicily…..
Get ready for 2010 BdM….
At the end of this week, we will receive shipments from Biondi Santi, Il Palazzone and our own Fratelli D’Anna all containing 2010 Brunello Di Montalcino. These are some of the most exciting wines I have tried from Tuscany.
Orders will be dispatched early next week and most of our best restaurants and wine merchants have ordered these wines. Super excited!
The thing that impressed me most about the wines I tried at Vinitaly?
Easy.
Vintage 2010 Brunello.
Normally I give myself an afternoon in Tuscany to try as many wines as I can from not only the producers I import but also from those that I love to drink. And for the 2010 vintage for Montalcino, I couldn’t pull myself away from Tuscany and spent time the next morning trying even more 2010 Brunello. These wines are amazing. So complete and complex it is staggering.
After so much controversy in the past in Montalcino, it is fantastic to see a string of strong vintages to bring this town back and centre in the eyes of the wine loving public. I tried as many of my favourite wines as possible and it included wineries like Gorelli, Fuligni, Costanti, Il Poggione and La Fortuna.
Of course I got to visit the producers I represent like Biondi Santi, Il Palazzone (we also import Soldera and have our own label but obviously these wines were not at Vinitaly) and the good news is that in the next couple of weeks we will have a second allocation of the 2010 Il Palazzone plus the first allocations of Biondi Santi and Fratelli D’Anna.
Pretty exciting time for the wine loving public in Oz who are going to be hit between the eyes with some of the best Brunello they have ever tasted with the 2010 vintage Brunello.
For the love of Montalcino…
Well for the last few years I have been making annual trips to Montalcino. The most recent in October to sign up Gianfranco Soldera for Australia and visit our good friends at Il Palazzone.
The wines of Soldera (starting with the 08 Soldera) should land in Australia around the end of January and be available at a wholesale level via our company Mondo Imports. It will have limited distribution due to it’s scarcity (these are the vintages that were affected by the break in at the winery a couple of years ago) but you should be able to secure a bottle at most of the prominent Australian independent wine merchants.
Another project that has been in the pipeline has been a 2010 Brunello di Montalcino under our Fratelli D’Anna label. The more I work on this label, the more I am thinking that the Fratelli wines will solely be based on Tuscany and in particular Montalcino. After parcels of fruit that we discover will most likely be under a different label and there is so much more I want to do with this concept.
So in short, our 2010 Fratelli D’Anna Brunello di Montalcino will leave Italy at the start of February and will be available in Australia at the end of March. We have only made 600 bottles and a few doz of those bottles need to go in my cellar for my daughters birth year. I can’t wait to get this wine in Oz and it is another exciting chapter under the Fratelli label.
Above is a draft of our label, note that on this draft they have left out the G will be rectified in the final cut but you will get the gist of what we are trying to do with the label design.
Some great reviews and comments for our little Rosso…
Well to say that I am chuffed that our Fratelli D’Anna Rosso Di Montalcino 2013 has been well received by wine critics and wine lovers is s little bit of an understatement. I always knew this wine was good, and to see this translate in so much positive comments really puts a smile on my face!
Look forward to the next installment of our Fratelli label sometime next year.
Fratelli D’Anna Rosso Di Montalcino 2013:… It is here (just not sure how long for!!)
Well after a couple of years in the making (and a few more in my minds), wine from Montalcino under my own label has finally landed in Australia.
Whilst I am super excited to have it here, the bad news is that it will probably only be available to purchase for a few weeks before the sold out sticker is put up.
More than 1400 bottles of the 1800 bottles made have been sold in the few days it has been available. Good in one way and bad in another in that I would have loved to see it around for a few months.
For the last few years I have been making annual trips to the town of Montalcino to talk to wineries with similar philosophies to not only import and represent these wineries in Australia (think Il Palazzone and Biondi Santi) but to also work on a special little project focusing on wines under our Fratelli D’Anna label. when you visit the cellars of a winery, there are always barrels that stand out and having a label like Fratelli D’Anna, it will give us the opportunity to purchase these barrels to showcase on their own (rather than being blended back with other barrels).
The wines under Fratelli D’Anna represent what I like and expect out of a grape variety and region. It was an idea that came about by reading Kermit Lynch’s Adventures of the Wine Route who on visiting vineyards and wineries that he imported (or liked) made offers to buy selected barrels to be finished off to his specifications. When I think of this, it takes the notion of importing wine from a region you love, one step further. In this instance it is the ultimate expression of what I look for in Sangiovese and Montalcino.
I have another project in the pipeline under our own label and for those able to buy a bottle of this, it should start to pop up at independent retail in the next few weeks around Australia.
Look what’s ready in Montalcino…..!
Fratelli D’Anna Rosso di Montalcino 2013: it is coming…..!
For the last few years I have been making annual trips to the town of Montalcino to talk to wineries with similar philosophies to not only import and represent these wineries in Australia (think Il Palazzone and Biondi Santi) but to also work on a special little project focusing on wines under our Fratelli D’Anna label. when you visit the cellars of a winery, there are always barrels that stand out and having a label like Fratelli D’Anna, it will give us the opportunity to purchase these barrels to showcase on their own (rather than being blended back with other barrels).
The wines under Fratelli D’Anna represent what I like and expect out of a grape variety and region. It was an idea that came about by reading Kermit Lynch’s Adventures of the Wine Route who on visiting vineyards and wineries that he imported (or liked) made offers to buy selected barrels to be finished off to his specifications. When I think of this, it takes the notion of importing wine from a region you love, one step further. In this instance it is the ultimate expression of what I look for in Sangiovese and Montalcino.
We expect to have our 2013 in Australia by the start of November and look forward to lot’s of different and diverse wines under this label.
A new wine for @mondoimports…
Well after months mucking around with different blends from Tuscany, it is great to see our new Toscana Bianco about to hit the bottling line in Italy. Our aim with Fratelli D’Anna is to work with our existing wineries we represent in Italy (in this case Fattoria Parri) and play around with some interesting varietals (all from the same region) to create a unique field blend to be sold via @mondoimports.
It should be available in Australia in around 8-10 weeks and retail around $15 a bottle.
il vino da tavola 