Brunello 2022 – the quest for water

Vintages need to be seen in a rear-view mirror. You can only fully understand and appreciate them once they are behind you. While the Montalcino 2018 vintage, just launched before its actual release next January, is invariably described as ‘cool and wet’, for example, the 2022 vintage might boost its reputation to ‘elegant and fresh’. In 2022, Italy, and large parts of Europe, faced a historical drought it had never experienced before.

Producers in Montalcino refer to 2017 when looking for a comparison with the extreme 2022. 2017 was hot...