Wine of the week: a wine worth its weight in gold
The maker of this unbelievably impressive wine spends every day pruning his bunches with a pair of nail scissors, says Matthew Jukes.
2008 Ombrone, Sant'Antimo, Cupano, Tuscany, Italy (£46, reduced to £39 for MoneyWeek readers, from SWIG, 020-8995 7060, www.swig.co.uk).
I am a massive fan of the Brunello di Montalcinos from Cupano and Ombrone is their Super Tuscan' incarnation. It is made from 50% cabernet, 35% merlot and 15% sangiovese, and in my wildest imaginations I would never have guessed that this wine would be so unbelievably impressive.
The winemaker, Lionel Cousin, is one of the most dedicated men in the business and he learnt his trade from none other than the late, great Henri Jayer (of Vosne-Romane fame). Arguably the most famous man in the history of modern winemaking, and someone with whom I enjoyed a life-changing dinner many years ago (the single greatest moment of my career to date), Jayer's impact on Cousin is felt in every sip of his wine.
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Cousin works his estate by hand. He has carried tonnes of rock up from the Ombrone river to give better support and drainage to his vines. He planted the vines by hand and works between the rows using a horse and plough. He spends hours every day pruning his bunches with a pair of nail scissors. He is wholly dedicated to Cupano this is why his wines are worth their weight in gold.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year (www.matthewjukes.com).
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