Il Palazzone Debut: Lorenzo e Isabelle
Il
Palazzone 2005 Lorenzo e Isabelle…$71.37
Cabernet
Franc rarely gets the lead in a Super-Tuscan blend, but Il Palazzone’s
Dick Parsons gave it a shot in this debut bottling, Lorenzo & Isabelle.
Problem is, Parsons, an admitted Franc-ophile, intended L & I to be
a one-time-only thing. We can only hope that Franc’s got a future at Il
Palazzone—with a limited case production of 565, L & I is going to
have a very limited run….
When Parsons acquired the estate of Il Palazzone in 2001, he wasn’t so
much investing in a business as he was indulging a passion for his favorite
wine—Brunello. For the past few vintages, he’s been able to drink Brunellos
crafted in the manner that suits his exacting style: elegant, complex,
and indelibly marked by terroir. Still, as an ardent lover of all wines
Italian (and, we might add, a firm believer in their qualitative supremacy
over French wines), he wasn’t content to be a one-wine operation. Thus,
this devotee of Sassicaia and Solaia chose to gratify another personal
interest, commissioning the creation of a Cab Franc-based Super-Tuscan.
This highly personal expression was a bold, provocative choice, because
Montalcino tends to hold itself apart from that scene. That said, Parsons
has a pretty substantive precedent in the definitive Montalcino Super-Tuscan,
Solengo.
Named for Parsons’ parents, Lorenzo & Isabelle is comprised of Cabernet
Franc (59%), Sangiovese (39%), and Petit Verdot (2%), the last of which,
according to Parsons, is “for the nose.” While designed for earlier approachability
than the estate’s Brunello (the average elevation of the relevant vineyard
sources, 250 meters above sea level, is lower than that pertaining to
the Brunello), L & I’s traditional ageing regimen suggests a significant
aging potential as well: following a lengthy period of maceration, L &
I is aged in 250-hectoliter barrels for a period of 16 months; prior to
release, it receives six months’ refinement in bottle. Like Argiano’s
Solengo, L & I’s constituent parts make a welcome presence on the
palate, with Petit Verdot performing its said objective, namely tannins
and deep purplish hues. On the palate, dark fruits are complemented by
firm tannins (imparted not only from the addition of Petit Verdot, but
the wine's moderate oak treatment), allowing this wine a suitable candidate
for further ageing and maturity.
Parsons’ motto “We drink all we can and sell the rest” could, perhaps,
be modified somewhat, for the “rest” is never enough….
Also
Available:
Il
Palazzone 1998 Brunello di Montalcino…$84.15
Il
Palazzone 1999 Brunello di Montalcino…$95.70
Il
Palazzone 2000 Brunello di Montalcino…$95.70
Il
Palazzone 2001 Brunello di Montalcino…$255.75 (1.5L)
Il Palazzone 2001 Brunello di Montalcino…$404.25 (3.0L)
Il
Palazzone 2002 Brunello di Montalcino…$77.55
Il
Palazzone 2001 Brunello Riserva…$140.25
Il
Palazzone 2001 Brunello Riserva…$363.00 (1.5L)