Tenuta Nuova is a pioneering and visionary vineyard project emboding the belief and passion of Casanova di Neri. Tenuta Nuova means new property; Tenuta Nuova is a place where nobody planted Sangiovese before; Tenuta Nuova is the will of Casanova di Neri to produce a powerful yet drinkable Brunello with a high ageing potential. The project began with the study of varied local microclimates and their optimal exposures. Through a cautious and passionate research Casanova di Neri has used the most sophisticated scientific investigations to determine the clones, rootstocks, cultivation practices, plant density per hectare and every possible particular to obtain excellent Sangiovese grapes.
With an intense and bright ruby red colour, Tenuta Nuova 2019 shows notes of wild violet, eucalyptus and red currant. On the palate the tannins are round and balanced, perfectly ripe and pleasant. It shows incredible rigor and definition, characteristics that make it appreciated even now but which give a glimpse of a great future for this vintage.
Winter was marked by mild temperatures with rainfall in average with previous years. Stable and sunny March and April were followed by a singular May with very low temperatures and abundant rainfall. All these factors contributed to delaying flowering and fruit set of few days. June and July weere warm and dry with high peaks which made possible to recover the vegetative delay. The abundant spring rainfall and the warm and stable August allowed a smooth ripening of the grapes.
Revisiting Casanova di Neri this July 2023 was a fantastic opportunity to taste through the range of 2019s and 2020s (the 2019s were not included in last year’s report). In my view, the Neri family represents one of the most significant evolutions in Montalcino. The wines have always possessed remarkable balance that allows them to age gracefully, yet they were once large-scaled, brooding and powerful. Today, there’s a new level of purity throughout the range but the same proportion of ripe fruit and character that is undeniably Casanova di Neri. Starting in 2017, the family began shortening maceration times and invested in an optical sorter. The differences in the wines are notable. The 2020s at this address are drop-dead gorgeous and may have been even more impressive if I hadn’t tasted them next to the 2019s. Both vintages of the Tenuta Nuova surpassed expectations. The late-release Cerretalto remains the powerhouse of this range yet comes across as harmonious from start to finish, even the 2018. But it’s the new Giovanni Neri Brunello that really turns my head (both the 2019 and 2020). Hailing from a 50-year-old vineyard near Castelnuovo dell’Abate, this gorgeous wine has quickly risen to the top of the portfolio. The family spent years rehabilitating these old vines, and now we all reap the rewards. Of note, there will be no 2020 Cerretalto, with the fruit from that bottling going into the white label Brunello.
