Answer: It is adding oxygen into red wine. Useful during the initial main fermentation to help the yeasts do their work effectively. Some claim it adds colour with similar results in the wine that you get from oak barrel aging. Timing and especially amounts used must be carefully monitored so it is not overdone. Good review on the chemistry and pros & cons in Science Direct with more details here.
We were fortunate to have the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino (founded in 1967) visit Vancouver on November 28, 2023, with an extensive wine tasting well organized at the Vancouver Club. Also most pleased that Italian wine guru MIchaela Morris Vancouver-based but knowledgeable contributor to Decanter magazine (and other publications) was present to lead this excellent seminar. We were delighted and grateful that Vancouver was selected by the Consortium from the six countries making up 60% of their export markets of the DOCG Brunello. The exciting tasting named BENVENUTO BRUNELLO 2023 was held on the same day in eight cities: Dallas, Miami, New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, and Zurich. In Vancouver, we had the opportunity to taste 35 producers showing 68 Brunello di Montalcino mainly from the 2019 vintage plus roughly a dozen Riserva from 2018. An intensive sit-down endurance test over 5 hours with every table having their own server for the choices you made from the Wine List in flights of four wines each. Delicious sandwiches supplied only at the back of the room but not to be brought to your table – so no conflicting aromas or break of concentration on the wines. Well done. Your scribe could only stay for 4 hours but did taste 41 out of 68 available including all the 2018 Riserva (+ one 2016) plus a wide selection of 2019s. Some brief overall impressions:
The 2019s have a 5 star rating (compared to cooler 2018 with 4) showing lovely aromatics with a riper balanced structure in the trending luxurious style. The 2018 were lighter colour, even though are Riservas, but making a lovely elegant quality statement. Both have good cellar potential.
Presently a big fan who is enjoying the wonderful 2010 treasures but do believe the twin star vintages of warmer riper less acidity 2015 & later harvested better acidity 2016 signalled generally an upturn for Brunello (except for hot variable forwardly 2017) with their overall quality consistency. Not convinced yet that 2019 is as outstanding a vintage as classic 2016.
Interesting to learn that there are now 208 bottling wineries using 3500 hectares of vineyards on diverse soils reaching an altitude of 564 meters with 2100 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG & 510 Rosso di Montalcino DOC. BdM maximum yield of 8 Tons/hectare, requiring 2 years in oak, and 4 months in bottle (Riserva 6 months) released to market on January 1st of the 5th year after harvest (Riserva January 1 of 6th year). Rosso allowed 9 Tons/hectare yield and released September 1 of the year following harvest.
Impressed by San Polo Riserva 2018 complexity and surprised by the depth of Banfi Poggio Alla Mura 2018 Riserva (and that vineyard in 2019 as well).
Fairly good consistency on the 2019s with my favourites including Vigna Montosoli from Canalicchio Di Sopra, Giobi by La Fortuna and Uccelliera (15 abv).
