Matching a work of art to an enological denomination and vice versa: a virtuous combination of art and viticulture. This is the collection I Masterpieces of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci that wants to celebrate the most famous works of art by Leonardo da Vinci and the most famous and beloved Italian wine names. A grand tour of the most famous Italian wine regions, from Barolo to Valpollicella, passing through Chianti and Montalcino, to represent the best of our local wine production. As well as the best of Leonardo’s artistic production, in his most famous works: from the Bacchus to the Virgin of the Rocks, the Lady with Ermine and the Saint John the Baptist. The latter is the first of the 14 masterpieces to be unveiled on the occasion of the Benvenuto Brunello event (15 and 16 February in Montalcino).
The work, an oil on walnut table made by Leonardo between 1505 and 1514 approximately and currently kept in Paris at the Louvre Museum, was chosen to dress the label of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012. The Masterpieces of Cantine Leonardo da Vinci wines are obtained according to the Metodo Leonardo®, an approach from the vineyard to the cellar inspired by the teachings of Leonardo da Vinci reinterpreted today by the wine makers of Cantine to express the best of the territory in which they operate: in the case of Brunello we are in Montalcino, in the heart of Tuscany, where one of the most prestigious and sought-after wines comes to life. Brunello di Montalcino is the forefather of Italian reds, the epitome of Tuscany: power, classicism and elegance, a harmonious combination of refined characteristics.
This Brunello is transparent, purple-red. The nose shows intense fruity scents, such as blackberry, blackcurrant and cherries. In the mouth it is rich, full-bodied, with soft fruity nuances that reaffirm the olfactory notes, well balanced by a good freshness. St. John the Baptist, the saint with his finger up and the sweet smile, is one of Leonardo’s most enigmatic works. “It is animated by the impetuousness of the gesture, the quintessence of irrepressible spirituality, and by the intensity of the hypnotic gaze that, interrogating the observer, suggests a transcendent, interior enigma, beyond the visible”, explains Alessandro Vezzosi in his latest book Leonardo . Painting: a new look (Giunti, 2018). “Look at that pointing finger upwards: Leonardo promises Paradise,” wrote Picasso.
