>Is it me (Long Island, New York) or is pre 90 Brunello hard to find in
>most restaurants?? In restaurants that are well stocked with Barolo
>and Barberesco from this same period, I only find Brunello from maybe
>90 or 93 almost definatly from 97. This a wine I would love to try
>when it has had the chance to sit for twenty years or so. Is this
>common in other parts of the U.S. or am I looking in the wrong
>restaurants??
>
There are a few factors at play he
1) With the exception of Biondi-Santi and maybe Soldera, not a lot of attention
was paid to Brunello in US until the last 5-8 years. Many more labels are
imported now than before.
2) Before the explosion of regional Italian cooking over last decade, most
restaurants were more or less generic "Italian". An upscale Italian place would
put together a wine list with a few Chiantis, and a few Barolos - the most
well-known names.
3) Brunello is more accessible young than traditional Barolo, so more likely to
have been drunk young.
4) While good Brunello from a good vintage ages very well (in my limited
experience), good Brunello for a mediocre or poor vintage doesn't. By contrast,
Barolo from a mediocre vintage does ok. So I might buy a Barolo from a producer
I liked 89, 88,87, 86, 85, 83, '82, '78, '71, etc. With Brunello I doubt I'd
chance anything other than '88, '85, and '82.
So less wines imported to start with, and less vintages still drinkable, means
far fewer options.

Dale

Dale Williams
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