Brunello di Montalcino

This is a very interesting take on Brunello.  It is big in a modern style sense but also more about minerality than fruit.  In any event, it is quite good and just starting to hit maturity.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, iron, minerals and slight tea leaves.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  Nice cherry fruit with underlying minerality.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will work great with traditional Tuscan foods but any fowl or pork dish should also work well.  If drinking now, let it breathe for a few hours if you can.  This may improve for a couple of years and wi

This was purchased on release ($30) and stored.  It is drinking well now and a good value if not trying to source it now.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, tea leaves, spice and slight roasted herb.  On the palate, this has nice acidity and begs for food.  Went great with Eggplant Parmesan.  Lots of juicy cherries with a slight raisin note.  Good finish.  Probably at peak but still has some time left.  

Consistently one of the better BdM's out there.  2012 was a good year if not stellar, but this wine was singing.  Pop and pour, it took about an hour to open up and was good to go.  Garnet in color.  The nose has cherries, tea leaves, and slight spice notes.  On the palate, this has slight tannins.  Nice cherry fruit.  Showing slight layering of fruit and forest floor.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will work with a wide variety of foods and really begs for food.  It is still on the youthful side bu no baby.  It won't get better but should mature nicely for the next decade.  Drink anyti

Pop and pour, this wine is in a great place right now.  Ruby in color with some garnet swirls.  The nose is great with cherries, slight funk, and tea leaves.  On the palate, this has great acidity.  Lots of cherries with some dried cherries over some forest floor flavors.  Good finish.  This is past its time as a fruit bomb though it has plenty left.  It is developing some lovely tertiary qualities.  Of course, it needs some great pasta or other Italian foods on the dinner tables.  

Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is dusty with cherries and a slight root beer note.  Strong tannins!  Sour cherry fruit on the palate.  Good acidity.  Some depth.  Despite the youth and tannins, this has a lovely elegance to it.  This really demands food.  It will work with a wide variety of pasta dishes with or without meats.  Should continue to improve for a few years and be good for another 15 after that.  Retails for $65.  

2013 was a more traditional year in Brunello lending itself to more elegance and less full bodied wines.  Whether that is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder or drinker.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, dried cherries with an underlying sandalwood.  On the palate, this is soft but complex.  Nice cherry and dried cherry fruit.  A bit of tea leaves.  Of course, great with Italian foods but will work nicely with beef dishes too.  This is a very pretty and elegant wine.  Just lovely but don't expect a big wine.  

This was drinking quite well although it has years left.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is very nice with black cherries, cedar, chocolate and cigar box.  On the palate, this is youthful but ageing well.  Layers of cherries, black cherries and tobacco.  A nice back bone of acidity.  Good finish.  This can be drunk along but shines with food.  Obviously Italian food but really a wide variety.  Probably about 5 years from peak and should be there for 8 to 10.  

This was a new wine for me.  Apparently, in some vintages it will have some Petit Verdot or other international varietals but in 2011 it was 100% Sangiovese.  They really nailed it in this very good if not great vintage.  Purple in color.  The nose is cherries with some sandalwood and slight vanilla.  Clean and bright if still young.  More open on the palate, but at the same time, this is quite tannic.  A very structured wine.  It needs some time flesh out but it is very deep and yet elegant at the same time.  Cherries, macerated cherries and slight coffee notes on the palate.  Good acidity

Pop and pour, this was pretty tight, so the wine was decanted which helped.  Still, it probably needs five more years but has a couple of decades of life left.  Drank side by side with the regular 1999 version of this wine.  Ruby in color with some purple, lighter than the 99.  The wine in general, however, is a much bigger wine.  The nose is gorgeous with cherries, black cherries, sandalwood and dry Earl Grey tea.  On the palate, this is tightly wound, but it already shows great layering and complexity.  A wonderful texture; slippery yet bold if that makes sense.  Great acidity.  Long fini

This was decanted for sediment and then drink over a few hours.  This was drunk side by side with the 2012 Riserva which was interesting and fun.  This is a deep ruby with some purple at the core in color.  Darker than the 2012.  It seems to at peak right now.  Not showing old age but certainly mature, tannins resolved and getting close to sliding downhill.  The nose is earthy with damp tea leaves, cherries and just a hint of sandalwood.  Complex and layered with funk, forest floor and cherries.  Very good acidity.  Worked very well with food.  Nice finish.  This was probably never an amazi