We began our morning with a tour and tasting at Il Palazzone, which Joe selected mostly because the American owner is one of his personal heroes. Dick Parsons has owned the vineyard since 2000. He is probably the most successful black businessman in the U.S. He has been the CEO of BET, then Citibank. Currently he is the GM of the Los Angeles Clippers and is also restoring and reopening jazz clubs in Harlem. Quite the Renaissance guy!! Joe couldn't wait to see the place.
The vineyard is run by married couple Laura and Marco. She is originally Scottish and gave us the tour. He is a little wiry man, who greeted us warmly, albeit with his pants unzipped. He has the kind of face that looks like he has worked outside every day of his life.
We tasted the 2009 and 2010 and truly there was no comparison between the two. The '10 was velvety in texture and tasted of fruits and river stones. It was subtle and elegant. We shipped six home.
Lunch was at Osticcio in the village, and while the food was good, the view out the rear windows really made the meal. The view from our table above.
Later we went to the Enoteca di Piazza, where Samuele, the same young guy that guided our tasting a few years ago, was there to help us empty our wallets again. We tasted many of the '10s, but only two stood out as stars to us: the Altesino, which scored a perfect 100 in Wine Enthusiast, to save for a special occasion, and the Madonna Nera, which was good too, but more of a weekend with a steak kind of wine. The other two we bought were the 2007 Brizio Riserva--fantastic. Then, because it was incredibly smooth and incredibly rare, we bought two bottles of the 1997 Fonte Buia, from that last exceptional vintage 18 years ago.
Here is Joe with a very satisfied look on his face, sitting in front of the Fortress in Montalcino.
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