MCF Rare Wine Ltd.
 
Lisini Update: 2010 Riserva and Ugolaia

I had a nice lunch yesterday with Carlo and Ludovica Lisini where they were debuting both the 2010 Brunello Riserva and the 2010 Ugolaia.  Since I have a bit more to offer, I thought I'd just update you all to let you know that the wines are coming together very nicely indeed!

Both wines are still quite firm, but there is a lot of greatness buried underneath.

Of the two, it's really hard to pick a favorite, as they're both so very nice.

The Riserva, as is usual, has a more serious tone to it.  The tannins are longer, and they have more polish to them and the wine has an aristocratic sense of elegance and refinement to it.  As it sat in the glass, the darker fruit and savory notes began to emerge.

The Ugolaia, which is always my favorite wine in their lineup, was a bit more taut and compact but was also a brighter and more energetic.  The sense of refinement was still present, but, for now at least, it seems to have a bit more of a playful personality.  Cheerfulness aside, this is a glass of beautifully serious Sangiovese that will evolve nicely for a long time.

The Ugolaia seems to always get lost in the shuffle here in the states, and that has always puzzled me a bit.  I've long considered this to be one of Montalcino's finest bottlings and, in 2010, this is definitely the case again.

Carlo said, when discussing the two wines, that the Riserva is 'textbook Montalcino', but that the Ugolaia was 'textbook Lisini'.

Later, while chatting with Ludovica, I asked which she preferred and she said 'I always love the Riserva, but for me, it's always Ugolaia...'

I'll leave it to you all to decide for yourself!

These wines are (finally) about to land in the US, so I thought I'd give you all one last chance at the pre-arrival price.


Matt Franco

MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
237 West 13th Street
New York 10011
mcf@mcf-rarewine.com
212.255.8870
www.mcf-rarewine.com