While there are many wine retailers across the nation who will sell you their best red wines before they’re ready-to-drink (putting the onus on you to cellar them for 5-10 years), that’s never been our strong suit at Mission.
While we appreciate the sensibility of a well-aged wine, we also know that it’s possible to find deals on ready-aged wines, especially in the current market where supplies have been sitting in warehouses for years in search of a home.
In order to keep their commitments, American importers typically bring hundreds if not thousands of cases of individual wines over the Atlantic from Europe, aging their stocks in temperature-controlled warehouses until they’re ready for distribution. At Mission, we’ve developed a knack for locating those parcels of ready-to-drink gems for prices below the standard market cost.
Take today’s email as a perfect example: the outstanding 2018 Camigliano Brunello for just $45.95, compared to other stores at $55+.
In the world of Italian Brunello, Camigliano holds a special place. As Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate pointed out in its detailed review, the estate “occupies a unique position within the appellation,” including 92 hectares of vines that “are spread over varied microclimates and soil types, adding more variables to the final blending program.”
With Sangiovese vineyards in different climates that can ultimately be blended to perfection in the production room, Camigliano is able to temper itself against warm and cool vintages and create stellar Brunello expressions in just about any harvest. If you need proof, look at the litany of outstanding reviews below.
Outstanding press, historic producer, great vintage, fantastic wine, already aged for you, ready to drink, under $50, and $10 under the standard MSRP. Just what you need to get the week started off on the right foot!
2018 Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino $45.95
94 POINTS: WINE ENTHUSIAST - The nose offers cherries, vanilla and toasted coconut over aromas of leather, flint and currants. On the palate, blackberries and dried cranberries emphasize more cherries, while dusty tannins swim in a thick undertow of chocolate and sambuca. Vibrant acidity sets up a long, warm finish.
92 POINTS: WINE SPECTATOR - Ripe and opulent, boasting macerated cherry, plum, eucalyptus and iron flavors matched to a muscular structure. Shows beefy tannins that take over on the finish, yet this feels balanced, with a beam of cherry persisting through the conclusion.
92 POINTS: JAMES SUCKLING - A ripe and full-bodied Brunello with intense notes of cassis, stewed plums and kalamata olives. Some grilled herbs, too. Broad and creamy tannins with plenty of rich fruit. A little one-dimensional but concentrated and flavorful. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2023.
91 POINTS: ROBERT PARKER’S WINE ADVOCATE - A certified organic wine, the Camigliano 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is medium dark in appearance with round and ripe aromas of cherry confit, blackberry tart, black rose and balsam herb. The wine is textured and rich; however, the alcohol is too high at 15%. That power takes away from the long-term potential of delicate Sangiovese and places the grape into a near or medium-term drinking window instead. The wine aged in large oak casks for 24 months, resulting in a generous production of 190,000 bottles. Camigliano occupies a unique position within the appellation. **The estate's 92 hectares of vines are spread over varied microclimates and soil types, adding more variables to the final blending program. These differences also help to mitigate climate change because the Ghezzi family can prioritize one parcel over another, and there is plenty of fruit to go around, considering these more generous production numbers.
91 POINTS: VINOUS - There’s an almost-candied quality to the bouquet of the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino, as sweet rose and medicinal cherry give way to nuances of shaved cedar and pine. This is a mid-weight and gracious Sangiovese, with bright acidity that adds an almost-juicy character within. Hints of strawberry and minty herbs resonate, as this finishes only lightly structured, yet with admirable length.