Which of these 3 Brunellos should I open on Saturday?

Hi,

I unfortunately know Italian wines very little.
However, the few I have in my cellar are supposed to be good.

I have an important wine dinner on Saturday and seek advice as to which of the following:
- is theoretically the finest
- is theoretically the most ready to drink

1) 1999 La Serena, Brunello di Montalcino, bottled by Andrea Mantengoli, 14° alc.

2) 2000 Brunello di Montalcino, La Rasina, bottled by... the same guy, 14.5° alc.

3) 1999 Brunello di Montalcino, Il Paradioso di Manfredi, bottled by (as far as I can tell) E. Rosella Martini.

Might all of these wines be too young?

Furthermore, should I decant the "winner" a long time in advance?

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Alex R.

Guys,

I just found a *fourth* bottle in the cellar.

This is :

[b]1998 Brunello di Montalcino, Donatella Cinelli Coldombini, 13.5% alc.[/b]

Best regards,
Alex R.

Alex,

I hope that you will get a more helpful reply than mine. I do not know any of the wines and all that I can tell you is that La Rasina 2000 got Gambero Rosso's top 3 glass award with a glowing write-up. Gambero Rosso often goes for Parkerised wines but this doesn't sound like one - "measured use of wood"; that is unless their translator uses the word "measured" in the same way as the Aussies use "subtle" with regard to wood. My instinct is that 2000 in Tuscany is more likely to be ready for drinking than the more structured 1999s; the reverse of Bordeaux.

The only producer I recognize is the La Rasina, which has generally made solid wines in my opinion (I drank several of the '96s), haven't seen the 2000. Vintage generalizations are always risky, but I would probably go for that 2000. 1999 is generally the "best" vintage of the three, but I think needs time. 2000 seems to be a riper more forward vintage, not one to age, but drinking well now. 1998 is a bit spottier, I've had mixed experiences with my few tries.
If someone has specific experience with these wines, that would of course be more valuable.

Thanks Tim and Dale.
In light of your replies, I'll go for the Rasina.

All the best,
Alex R.

After decanting a wine such as this, how long would it breathe? I ask cos I have some `99s from Oddero and need a heads up when I open in a few years time!!

Bob, from what I've read a number of the BdM producers discourage decanting. I take a middle ground and open, but do not decant, about an hour before dinner. Seems to work well with bottles with some age; I like the '93s right now. If I were to try on off of the list the '00 was the best choice. I'm looking forward to the note as I have the '98s and '99s.

Bob, from what I've read a number of the BdM producers discourage decanting..

Why?

Certainly not because the wines are too delicate and will fall apart

Rahsaan, good question. Too bad I don't have a good answer or any answer at all really. But I've seen it posted a number of times and so tend to let the wines air gently in the bottle or in the glass without decanting. As a guess, old style BdM is tannic enough when young that decanting probably doesn't help much and therefore to encourage decanting is to give false hope. Better to let them age.

I have decanted some young Brunellos to no bad effect. But while thinking about why someone wouldn't suggest decanting, I was reminded that someone I respect (I can remember who, but pretty sure part of the NYC crowd) once posted that they had never had a Sangiovese-based wine that was better on day 2. That's counter-intuitive, as usually it is wines with acidic spine that I do like better on day 2, but since then I have paid attention and it is true that Brunellos, CCRs, and Sangio-Supertuscans don't seem to fare as well on day 2 as other structured high acid wines. Not the same thing as decanting, but some correllation.