Emilia Nardi, president of Tenuta Silvio Nardi, likes to joke that her father Silvio was the first “foreigner” to buy land in Montalcino in Tuscany. He was from the neighboring region of Umbria.
The year was 1950 and Silvio was selling agricultural equipment in the Montalcino area for the company that his father Francesco had started. After visiting America, Francesco had returned to Italy with the idea for a new type of plough, called the “Voltarecchio”. The new tool was used as part of the “Nardi System” as it was cited in the American Encyclopedia of Modern Agriculture and the Nardi agricultural machine company still produces farm equipment to this day
One of the farmers suggested that Silvio buy land in the area, which today is the family’s present day winery.
Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy’s and the world’s greatest wines. Brunello di Montalcino was among the eight Italian wine producing zones to be designated DOC in 1966 and in 1980 it became the first Italian wine to receive the DOCG. It can age for many years. 
The Wines of Silvio Nardi at Aldea Restaurant NYC
Rosso di Montalcino 2010 DOC 100% Sangiovese Grosso. The grapes were hand harvested from the Casale Bosco estate. There is a northwest exposure and the vineyard is at 300 meters. The soil is marl and marl sandy formations. The training system is spurred cordon with 5,200 vines per hectare. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with skin contact from 10 to 15 days. The wine was aged in used casks for four months and in bottle for 4 months before release.
Emilia said that this was a controversial vintage in the region but a great one for them. In the end the harvest brought healthy grapes with thick well-structured skins, intense concentration and excellent alcohol levels. This is a wine ready to drink with nice fruit aromas and flavors and a hint of spice. $26.99
The principal vineyard of the winery is located on the original estate of Casale del Bosco, a property of 2,022 acres, with 100 acres of vineyards, in the northwest part of Montalcino overlooking the Val d’Orcia. The vineyard plots of Oria, Sassi Sant’Adele and San Michele lie within the estate. The soil here is composed of clay schists and jasper, a type of opaque, granular quartz.
Emilia said that they were moving away from the use of new oak and using barriques of second and third passage in these wines. They were also moving in the direction of using more large oak barrels.
She also pointed out that the winery follows the strict DOCG laws required of a classified Brunello di Montalcino and her winery was not involved in the scandal of a few years ago. She also voted in favor of keeping Brunello 100% Sangiovese, a subject that has stirred much controversy
Brunello Di Montalcino 2006 DOCG 100% Sangiovese Grosso from the Manachiara and Casale estates. Soil composition is jasper and shale. Grapes come from various vineyards in the municipality of Montalcino with northwest/and south/east exposure at 350 meters. The yield is limited and only the top 70% of the hand-harvested grapes are used in this wine. The grapes were carefully hand picked and sorted. The wine is aged for 12 months in French Allier barriques and 12 months in large Slavonian oak botte. It remains in bottle for 6 months before release. This wine needs many more years in the bottle. There were aromas and flavors of red berries and a hint of leather. $66.99
Emilia said that 2007 was a fairly even vintage weather-wise. High daytime temperatures gave the grapes concentration while low nighttime temperatures allowed aromas to develop. After beneficial mid-September rains, harvest began in the Casale del Bosco vineyard, and in early October in the older Manachiara vineyard. The average yields were lower than required and the fruit quality was excellent. $70
Brunello Di Montalcino 2007 100% Sangiovese Grosso DOCG. Same as the 2006 except that it is aged for 30 months in French barriques and Slavonian oak. $66.99 This wine seemed a little more approachable than the 2006 but still needs more time.
The noted viticulturist Andrea Paoletti was engaged by Emilia to study how the different clones of Sangiovese could best be matched to vineyard plots. From 120 clones five were chosen as making the best match. This led to a program of focused replanting and is the reason why some of the vineyards are only ten years old. 
Emilia spoke very fondly of the late, Bordeaux enologist, Yves Glories. He applied his new principles of phenolic ripeness to indicate harvest dates and adjust the vinification process at the winery
The Manachiara estate is in the southwest corner of Montalcino near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. It covers 505 acres and 95 acres are planted with vines. The vineyard plots of Pinzale, Stercolati and Colombaiolo, as well as the vineyard of Manachiara proper, lie within the estate.
Brunello Di Montalcino “Manachiara” 2006 DOCG 100% Sangiovese Grosso. Emilia said that the vines for this single vineyard Brunello were 50 years old. Soil composition is sand rich in quartz and pliocene clays. The Manachiara vineyard is located in the municipality of Montalcino with southeastern exposure at about 300 meters. There are 4,500 plants per hectare. The manual harvest takes place the first half of October. After a complete destemming, the must underwent fermentation and maceration for at least 20 days at controlled temperatures. The wine spends 12 months in French Allier oak barriques, followed by 18 months in large Slavonian oak barrels. The wine is aged for at least one year in bottle before release. Emilia said that they only make 11,000 bottles. This is a classic Brunello, full-bodied, complex, with intense fruit and hints of spice and the right degree of acidity. This wine will age very well. $106.99
Charles Scicolone on Wine 