Ambassadors of Brunello in Italy and the world, each with a wine list highly representative of the denomination of the Tuscan village: these are the five winners of the Premio Leccio D’oro announced during the second day of the 31st edition of Benvenuto Brunello, the Consortium’s flagship event, under way at Montalcino until November 21. Taking the podium for the Italian section dedicated to restaurants is ”Varrone” of Milan: a Milanese temple of the grill for cuts of meat from around the world, Varrone offers a list featuring about 100 Brunello references as well as about 15 Rosso di Montalcino. From the quintessential City of the Duomo to the City of Tower Bridge, with the Leccio D’oro, we fly over the Channel to London’s “Hide” restaurant, a Michelin star. At this three-story contemporary-style venue in Piccadilly Circus, food and wine lovers receive an offer of more than 60 labels of Brunello di Montalcino.
For the wine store category, “Eataly New York Flatiron”, Oscar Farinetti’s food and wine concept store on Fifth Avenue in downtown Manhattan, and Rome’s “Enoteca Rocchi,” enter the Leccio D’Oro palmarès. Founded in 1904, Enoteca Rocchi operates at four strategic locations in Rome, and is the key reference for wine lovers in the capital. Offering more than 40 Brunello labels of Montalcino from different companies, the wine store sold about 16,000 bottles of the prince of Tuscan red wines, from January to September of this year.
Remaining in Tuscany, on the other hand, is the Leccio D’Oro “Rosso di Montalcino” Special Prize awarded to Montepulciano’s “La Dolce Vita” wine shop. Born in 2005 from a concept of Cristian Brasini and the Barbetti family, La Dolce Vita is located within a historic building of rare beauty, dating to 1200 AD.
Highlights of the 31st vintage preview event include Brunello Day on November 17, with the christening of the 2018 vintage and the 2017 Riserva, simultaneously in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and London.