Benvenuto Brunello Tasting - Italian Wine and Old World Style in NYC

Benvenuto Brunello Tasting – Italian Wine and Old World Style in NYC

By Katherine Jacobson

The 2016 Benvenuto Brunello Wine Tasting Event was simply a heavenly experience. It took place at the grand Gotham Hall in midtown Manhattan and celebrated the 50^th anniversary of Brunello di Montalcino DOC, a renowned Italian red made with Sangiovese grapes (called “Brunello” grapes in Montalcino). Gotham Hall is the epitome of classic elegance: the main room glowed with light of liquid gold while the aroma of Italian wine filled the air as from the moment you stepped inside the glorious space.

Clusters of people surrounded the tables, eager to taste each and every wine spectacular wine on offer. Though some of the patrons were obviously just looking to order a glass, others were true connoisseurs, enthusiastic over the high quality and variety represented.

We even met a woman who currently attends the top wine school in the country (which happens to be located right here in New York!) and is pursuing a career in wine consulting. Despite the differences in each individual’s reason for attending, everyone was brought together by the same passion for wine, mingling and tasting side by side throughout the event.

At the center of the room was a large assortment of cheeses, grapes, and dried apricots, served alongside decadent platters of crackers and sliced bread, which had hints of rosemary from the fresh sprigs of the herb arrayed on the platter.

A leisurely day spent tasting Benvenuto Brunello’s finest wines and sampling a fabulous display of various cheeses—the entire experience was like wonderful dream come true!

The Benvenuto Brunello tasting sought to answer the question of why Italian wine is so delectable and celebrated, and what makes the wines so diversely flavored. All of the wines at this event were of such fine quality in part because of the weather conditions in Montalcino. The climate of the town, located about 70 miles south of Florence, is very mild, giving the vines the ability to grow fully and healthily without interference from freezes, blights, or heat waves.

The tastes of the wine are so varied and unique due to the multiple microclimates that exist within Montalcino. The region contains ranges of hills of different heights and sizes; each individual area creates slightly different weather conditions, which leads to flavor disparities within the wines.

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Everyone was open to meeting new people to discuss their shared love for wine, which gave the entire event a positive, inspiring, and educational atmosphere—the perfect pairing for a lovely afternoon of sipping elegant Old World wines.