Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the Sangiovese Grosso grape from estate vineyards in the prestigious Val D’Orcia. This is an intensely perfumed and rich wine with dried flowers, red berry fruits and notes of spice and fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied, yet warm and soft, with a well-balanced palate, fine tannins and incredible length.
Elegant with excellent sensory class, it displays notes of mixed red flowers, chopped citron, jasmine, acacia blossoms, lemon peel, crushed celery, and cola. Mixed mandarins and chocolate enliven the secondary notes. Full body, dense and firm tannins envelop the mid-palate, and a finish of great progression and harmony.
Aromas of violets, lavender, licorice, nutmeg and potpourri. Full-bodied with layers of fine tannins that are crunchy and silky, showing freshness and bright fruit at the end. Caressing texture. An excellent example of the vintage. Needs time to come together, but is very pretty and satisfying.
This is a site I love, as it offers one of the grandest sunsets in Montalcino, and that sense of late-afternoon warmth seems to translate directly into the wine. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2021 Brunello di Montalcino shows sweet fruit and darker aromas that evoke sun-drenched slopes and fading light. There is warmth and sweetness here that flesh out over the palate, giving the wine notable volume, a hallmark of the estate’s vineyards on the southern side of the appellation. You could almost fault this wine for being too ripe, but that same sunshine-driven character defines its appeal. Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona is a historic, organically farmed estate in Montalcino. The property extends across approximately 195 hectares, including 50 hectares of vineyards and 30 hectares of olive groves. The vineyards are planted primarily to Sangiovese and are situated between 240 and 360 meters in elevation in the warmer southern part of the denomination. Soils are predominantly galestro schist with Eocene-era clay components, contributing structure and mineral definition to the wines. Recent releases, particularly from the 2021 vintage, show ripe and rich flavor profiles.
A profound wine with vibrancy and complexity, exuding restrained cherries and raspberries, together with touches of ash and fresh orange peel. Leafiness and meaty minerality add an extra dimension. The attack is lush and ripe, with full body, velvety tannins, refreshing acidity and violet-soaked cherries to finish. Real precision here. Drinkable now, but best after 2025.
Dark and deep on the nose it shows notes of incense, sandalwood, cumin, black tea leaves, dates, bergamot, cinchona and black pepper. Many shades of pink pepper, juniper berries, sage, bay leaves, ginseng root, chamomile and broom describe the secondary scene. Full body, fresh and balsamic in the sip, it shows perfectly ripe and polymerized tannins and a disarming beauty of sip. How beautiful.
Elegant and very well balanced. Nose with corniolo sensations, then caper fruits, black pepper in grains and hints of eucalyptus. Juicy and taut mouthfeel, with sapid tannins. It closes with memories of small fruits and balsamic sensations, accompanied by iodine memories.
This 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is little darker in color than some other Brunellos from the 2020 vintage. On the nose, it has appealing mixed fruit preserves, violets, grated nutmeg, black plum tart. It's very nicely balanced on the palate; the acid is well-integrated and cleanses the palate while retaining a pleasant roundness on the edges. The alcohol is just slightly warming but does not detract from the wine, and on the finish, orange peel, clove oil, and tapendade interplay amongst the fine and structured tannins. Very enjoyable! Alcohol 15%. Drink: 2025-2044. (12/12/24)"
The 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a bright red/orange-tinged color and is ripe and sapid on the nose with notes of crushed black raspberries, mocha, sweet herbs, and mossy, floral earth. It's elegant on the palate, with salty, mouthwatering accents, but the acidity is not what kicks that forward. It's ripe with plush, velvety tannins, hints of porcini, and earth tones that are sure to improve and build as the wine ages. It has a hearty texture in its medium frame and fills the palate with hints of black truffle. Drink over the coming 15 or more years. Drink 2025-2040 (Jan 2025)
The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is a grippy, lifted wine with aromas of black fruit, crushed stone, grilled rosemary and lavender. The wine reveals a meaty and ripe texture with chewy fruit flavors.
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is impossible to ignore, with a burst of crushed plums and black cherries accentuated by sweet herbs, hints of tobacco and wilted violets. It's round and supple with dark red fruits, autumnal spices that swirl throughout and a hint of cocoa that embellishes the close. Despite its depth and concentration, the 2020 maintains energy while coming across as wonderfully refined, leaves fine-grained tannins to resonate beneath an air of lavender and mocha.
Bright ruby garnet with a brightening rim. Extremely appealing nose, fine aromas of roses, ripe dark cherries, fresh blackberries and a hint of saffron. Supple on the palate with lush fruit, but also shows grippy, vivid tannins, firm drive on the finish, long finish.
Love the plums, cherries and flowers to this, with lots of stones and hints of spices. It’s medium- to full-bodied with layers of fruit and open-grained tannins that show exquisite length and depth. It’s framed and veneered. Goes on for minutes. Drinkable now, but better in 2025.
There's no mistaking this wine for anything but Brunello. The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows beautiful continuity, crescendoing on the nose and palate in synchronicity. There are aromas of grilled watermelon, red cherry, garden herb and violet, and there is a charred note that recalls the toasted oak. The bouquet balances out beautifully, but you do get considerably more power on the palate thanks to the oomph of 15% alcohol and young tannins that get under your gums. Give this wine a few more years of bottle age. Production is 66,915 bottles in addition to 4,500 smaller formats.
Dusky cherry and plum flavors are the main themes in this red, with accents of leather, spices and wild herbs. Lively and focused, with excellent harmony and a sequel of ripe cherry on the lingering finish. Best from 2026 through 2042.
The ‘basis’ of Ciacci Piccolomini house, another excellence of this winery. Great tension to the nose, red currant, nuances of laurel and eucalyptus. Juiciness and tension to the palate, brackish tannins, fruity-balsamic return on the closure.
Roasted herbs, walnuts, olives, dried cherries and balsamic on the nose with a touch of leather and sage. It’s full-bodied with firm, finely-knit tannins. Creamy and so well integrated with depth and class. Try after 2024.
Bright ruby red with a sparkling core. On the nose, fine fruit of wild strawberries, blood oranges, rose hips, underlined by a fine floral scent and licorice. Bright on the palate and with a hearty, creamy fruit core, it spreads beautifully over the tongue and is extremely enjoyable to drink!
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino turns out beautiful results if you choose to drink the wine now, or if you opt to age it a little longer. It offers immediate intensity and complexity with a prelude of red and purple berry fruits that follow to tarry spice, campfire ash, licorice and rusty nail. Those savoy tones are well measured against the wine's elegant, mid-weight finish. And the tannins are integrated seamlessly. The winemaking team has worked well in a challenging vintage.
Sweet cherry, vanilla bean and orange zest are on the nose, which slowly opens to reveal quieter aromas of cured meat and graphite. The palate emphasizes the savory with more sanguine notes pointed up by crisp fruit flavors of red apple skin and Bing cherry, emphasized by well-articulated tannins.
Dense and brooding, revealing plum, cherry, earth, menthol and tobacco flavors. On the austere side today, with buried fruit and dominant tannins, yet this has fine equilibrium and extended length.
Dark and brooding, taking its time to blow off a whiff of mocha before opening up with a mix of dried red fruits, cloves and rosemary. This is surprisingly pure and lifted in style while maintaining elegance, as ripe red and black fruits cascade across a core of vibrant acidity. The 2018 leaves the palate buzzing with residual tension, as fine-grained tannins penetrate deeply, and hints of tart wild berry and a dusting of cocoa slowly fade.
Editor's Choice - This delicious, bold red offers inviting aromas of fragrant blue flowers, spiced plum, forest floor and pipe tobacco. Full and enveloping in feel, it delivers a great depth of juicy black cherry, black raspberry, licorice and baking spice flavors framed in velvety tannins.
Rich and lively, exuding cherry, plum and blackberry fruit, with accents of earth and underbrush. Harmonious and accessible now, with fine length and a lingering, mineral-tinged finish. Best from 2024 through 2040. 5,750 cases made, 1,050 cases imported.
Generous, layered and rich, the Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows the generous fruit and deep layering that identifies this vintage. This edition shows a bright note of sweet cherry that features strongly both on the bouquet and the palate. The wine shows lots of soft fruit with almond, spice and wild rose. From a hot and dry vintage, this Brunello is probably best suited to a near or medium-term drinking window. Paolo Bianchini and his family shared the same frustrations as other top producers in the appellation regarding the hot and dry 2017 vintage. Thankfully, the Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona estate is located in a rather cool location with south-facing vines and well-draining galestro soils on the back side of Castelbuovo dell'Abate. I always like to think of this tiny hilltop hamlet as the place where the day's sunbeams shine in Montalcino before sunset. This estate is certified for organic farming.
Aromas of cedar, berry, mushroom and burnt orange follow through to a full body with medium, chewy tannins and a fluid, flavorful finish. Not overdone.
Bright ruby red. In the nose of blood oranges, rose hips, mint, also of eucalyptus, fine Mediterranean herbs in the aftertaste. Appears polished and elegant on the palate, with the finest enamel, high drinking flow with robust tannins, very well done.
A pretty and fruit-forward display of ripe cherries, minty herbs and sweet smoke wafts up from the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. This impresses further with a juicy, fun mix of bright red berries and confectionary spices motivated by vibrant acidity. Hints of plum and licorice linger long over a slightly gruff coating of tannins, yet in the end, balance is nicely maintained. Well done.
Red-berry, wild-rose, crushed mint and dark-spice aromas are front and center on this fragrant red. The full-bodied palate is concentrated but also boasts finesse, offering layers of raspberry jam, smooth licorice and tobacco alongside a backbone of enveloping, velvety tannins. You'll also detect the warmth of alcohol but the succulent fruit stands up to it. Drink 2024–2036.
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (with 56,000 bottles made) shows bold cherry, spice, crushed stone and balsam herb that come together in seamless fashion. This estate has honed a unique style that becomes a common theme traced to each new vintage. I'd describe it as delicate but also succulent with a rich and almost pulpy quality of fruit. The wine is fueled by the golden light that hits this part of Tuscany in those last hours of the day. Here is a wine that shows spirit of place.
Lots of red and blue fruit to this, evolving into wet leaves, freshly turned soil and brewed tea. Light herbal notes. Sweet cherries, too. It's full bodied with silky, firm tannins. More minerality and tea notes on the finish. Elegant and driven.
Light on its feet, this red evokes strawberry, cherry, earth, menthol and Tuscan scrub flavors. Shows a firm underlying structure, with a fresh and focused finish. Best from 2023 through 2042
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona places savory herbs, exotic spice and earth tones above ripeness of fruit. It’s decidedly dark and brooding on the nose, lifted by hints of fresh-picked mint and sage. There are depths of velvety textures in the mouth, offset by a tactile mix of tart wild berries, minerals and zesty acidity which adds vibrancy in spite of the tannic heft and primary intensity found here. The 2016 finishes with a monolithic feel, still wound up tightly in its youthful state but also promising many years of positive evolution in our cellars. This is gorgeous and a great value for age-worthy Brunello.
In southern Montalcino, the expansive Ciacci Piccolomini property is characterised by warm, perfumed afternoon breezes coming in from the Mediterranean. The wines are typically headily scented and generous in alcohol, as is the case in 2016; however, I find much more freshness and focus than in the 2015s. Aromas include sun-kissed cherry and raspberry with red rose, tobacco, sage and thyme. Light on its feet with grainy tannins that dissolve easily, this is almost ready to drink. An amaro-like finish persists and stimulates the appetite.
Luminous, elegant ruby red. On the nose of ripe cherries, a hint of blood orange and a noble spice note. Opens on the palate with fine sweetness and balanced play, warm-hearted and clear with robust tannins and fine pressure.
Extremely perfumed and decadent with dried flowers and spices and fresh mushrooms. Cherries,too. Full body. Solid core of fruit, yet ever so fine tannins. Goes on for minutes. Such beautifully crafted tannins. Drink after 2021.
Editor's Choice. Enticing aromas of ripe wild berry, iris, camphor and sunbaked soil take shape in the glass. Full bodied and enveloping, the smooth, delicious palate doles out juicy Marasca cherry, raspberry jam, licorice and tobacco while firm velvety tannins provides support. It boasts concentration and structure but also balance, thanks to the fruit richness and freshness. Drink 2023-2030.
The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona estate enjoys a beautiful and huge expanse of vineyards at the back of the Castelnuovo dell'Abate village, where the downward slope of the hamlet meets the Orcia River, which delineates the appellation border. The estate's 2015 Brunello di Montalcino offers lovely harmony and elegance. The wine's taste profile follows the soft contours and beautiful horizons that characterize this beautiful part of Tuscany. The mouthfeel is medium-weight but carefully balanced with just enough acidity to add brightness. It shows just enough backbone to guarantee staying power and longevity. That said, the tannins are carefully integrated into the delicate fiber of the wine. This is no doubt one of the most graceful Brunellos to emerge from the 2015 vintage. Some 74,500 bottles were released in January 2020.
Distinctly salty, this red features cherry, strawberry, juniper, thyme and tobacco flavors. Tightly wound and energetic, with fine balance and a lingering, resonant aftertaste. Complex and built to age.
Dark red. Notes of iodine, five spice mix and cloves complement ripe red cherry on the nose and in the mouth. Long smooth finish.
Editor's Choice. Fragrant and loaded with finesse, this radiant, full-bodied red opens with enticing scents of ripe black-skinned fruit, iris, cake spice and a whiff of camphor. On the linear yet delicious palate, elegant tannins and bright acidity support succulent black cherry, plum and licorice before a lingering tobacco finish. Drink 2021–2029.
Like the other wines I tasted from Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona this year, I am surprised by the soft ripeness achieved in the 2014 Brunello di Montalcino. This was a cool and soggy vintage so those dark and sweet fruit flavors are counterintuitive. However, they elevate the wine to a higher intensity threshold and a more profound flavor profile. The wine offers enough crisp acidity and tannic firmness to hold it tightly together at this young stage in its lifespan.
There’s a handy array of quite ripe red-berry and cherry aromas here that lead to a palate that has attractive red cherries with soft, earthy nuances and fine, chalky tannins. Drink now.
The Ciacci Piccolomini estate is in the southeastern reaches of Montalcino, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. It was originally under ecclesiastical ownership but after passing through the hands of two noble families since 1868, the estate was bequeathed to Giuseppe Bianchini, a long-time farmer at the property, in 1985. It's now in the hands of Giuseppe's children, Paolo and Lucia. This 2014 has intriguing and ethereal scents of late summer fruit with garden herbs and tobacco. Ripe and elegantly crafted, it has a succulent blood orange undertow and finishes with chalky tannins. Drinking Window 2019 - 2027.
Full red-ruby. Deep aromas of dark red cherry, blackberry, licorice, shoe polish, and fresh herbs. Enters big and tannic, with rich dark fruit and herb flavors, but not especially graceful and loaded with currently youthful but also harsh tannins. Clearly not as deep or as well balanced as the best recent vintages of this wine (given the challenging vintage) but closes long with repeating plum and dark berry flavors. This wine’s tannins certainly call for some patience but should come around as there’s enough fruit lurking beneath that tannic cloak.
Exuding cherry, strawberry, floral and tobacco aromas and flavors, this effusive, fruity style is bright and elegant, with terrific harmony and a long, mouthwatering finish that leaves a mineral impression. Very compelling. Best from 2020 through 2036.
Editor's Choice. Underbrush, tobacco, ripe berry and balsamic aromas abound in this delicious red. Smooth, full-bodied and savory, the succulent palate doles out Marasca cherry, rasberry compote, licorice and white pepper. It's well balanced, with firm yet refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2021-2033.
This wine initally comes off as more somber, brooding and dark in personality. The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino takes a few moments in the glass before its starts to relax and grow in volume and context. Before long, opulent tones of black fruit, spices and pipe tobacco. The wine is elegantly tempered and finessed on the close. Some 68,000 bottles were produced.
Aromas of light coffee, plum and cherry follow through to full body with a wealth of dried fruit and hints of figs. Drink or hold.
Bright red. The fresh, clean, perfumed nose hints at red cherry and blood orange. Then sweet and supple on the palate, but with a lively mouthfeel to the red fruit and underbrush flavors thanks to harmonious, vibrant acidity. Has much more midpalate flesh to support its acidity than some other less successful 2013 Brunellos, all of which are made in a similar high-acid style typical of the vintage. Finishes broad, savory and nicely persistent. This 2013 from Ciacci Piccolomini is made in a much cooler- climate style than is usual for this producer.
Dark spice, ripe berry, forest floor, Mediterranean brush and new leather aromas lead the nose on this powerfull structured wine. On the full-bodied palate, baking spice, licorice and pipe tobacco notes accent a juicy black cherry core while firm, velvety tannins provide the framework. Drink 2020-2030.
Bright, dark garnet red. Opens initially with slightly earthy notes, then nice goji berries and pomegranate, with cloves in the background. Fine, sweet melting on the palate, initially shows beautiful raspberry fruit, then unfolds very finely with soft tannins in many layers, juicy and long.
Wow. I love the texture and beauty of this young Brunello. Medium to full body with a dense and tightly compacted palate. Dried cherry light cedar and chocolate. It goes on for minutes. Gorgeous now. Excellent acid fruit balance, but will improve with age.
The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a beautifully finessed and elegant wine. It offers a very pleasing sense of balance in which no one characteristic overpowers the next. A dark ruby appearance gives the wine an open and inviting personality. The bouquete produces a subtle medley of wild berry, blueberry, underbrush and toasted almond aromas. The mouthfeel is lean, but it also shows polished and silky persistence. If you don't have the patience to wait, it tastes great even at this early stage.
The aromas of wet earth, sliced mushrooms and blueberry are very pretty. Full body, firm tannins. Structured and firm. Excellent. One of the wines of the vintage. Drink now or hold.
The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous. In 2011, proprietor Paolo Bianchini bottled just one Brunello. That commitment to quality comes through loud and clear. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco and licorice all flesh out in an effortless, incredibly inviting wine. The warmth of the vintage and the natural generosity of these vineyards in Castelnuovo is evident, yet the 2011 possesses remarkable balance to match all of that intensity. I don't expect the 2011 to make old bones, but is gorgeous today. Readers should expect a flamboyant, decadently full-throttle wine built on voluptuousness and generous, racy fruit. Bianchini gave the 2011 three full years in cask.
The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino represents a return to the traditional values of Montalcino. The bouquet is buoyant and bright with lingering tones of smoke, ash, balsam herb, licorice and soy sauce. Those kinds of aromas make Brunello such a wonderful wine and thankfully you get them in abundance here. Dry mineral and brimstone also give the wine a sense of focus, sharpness and cleanliness that is very appealing. The close is long, fine and polished. I look forward to retasting this bottle five years from now.
Very perfumed with flower, truffle, light wet earth and cherry character. Full body and full integrated ripe tannins and caresses your palate. Very fine and pretty. Slight soya undertone. Succulent and enticing. You want to drink this. Better in 2016.
Ciacci Piccolomini produced almost twice as many bottles of their normale in the banner 2010 vintage than in the previous year, and it offers tremendous value. Juicy flavors of red raspberry and cherry flow over dusty tannins like a stream over a sandy bank, picking up notes of anise, tobacco and fennel as the wine moves toward a vibrant and lingering finish. The fine texture and intense red fruit flavors make this a compelling wine to enjoy with a thick grilled pork chop.
Sparkling ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Complex and exciting nose, shows notes of pomegranate, pickled cherries, some ginger and cloves, inviting. Very fine on the palate, ripe, dark cherry notes, opens with fine-meshed tannins, fine melting at the back, long aftertaste.
The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a great example of the Ciacci house style. Rich, layered and ample, the 2010 blossoms with notable depth and amplitude. This is a classic Brunello from Castelnuovo dell'Abate, where the wines are typically resonant and generous. Readers will find a gorgeous, highly expressive Brunello that will deliver considerable near and medium-term pleasure. Curshed flowers, tobacco and cherry pit add nuance on the soft, open finish. The 2010 spent two and half years in barrel.
Tight and sinewy, with eucalyptus, cherry, spice and tobacco flavors. The tannins lock this down for now, but the energy and balance persist, showing fine length. Best from 2018 through 2032.
Proprietor Paolo Bianchini made some tough choices in 2009. There is no Riserva and no Pianrosso. Instead, all of that fruit went into the straight 2009 Brunello di Montalcino, which is one of the best wines of this very challenging vintage. That it comes from the southern part of Montalcino is even all the more remarkable. Sweet tobacco, menthol, racy red cherries, hard candy, spices and Mediterranean herbs blossom in an impeccable, large-scaled Brunello loaded with class. The style is quite rich and textured, but all the elements are in the right place.
This is savory and fruity with full body of fruit and spicy, dried -berry and fig character. Round-textured, with light chewy tannins. A year of bottle age will improve it even more: try in 2015.
Irony mineral nose with notes of cofee and juniper. Full and quite broad on palate with slightly rustic tannins. Some potential but needs time to find its harmony. Better in 2014.
Lots of fresh mushrooms, with dark fruits on the nose. Full body, with silky tannins and a juicy finish. Balanced and attractive. Slightly chewy now. Better in 2015.
The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino emerges from the glass with black cherries, plums, tobacco, spices and licorice. In 2007 the Brunello is especially dark and muscular for the vintage. The warmth of the year plus the estate's search to make a Brunello that is more approachable in both price and early appeal comes through in spades. The 2007 is a bit bombastic today, but it should settle down with another year or two in bottle.
Intense aromas of black fruits and flowers follow through to a full body, with intense fruit and racy, strong tannins. Long and chewy. Dense and impressive. Give this three to four years of bottle age.
The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is an attractive entry-level wine. Dark red berries,crushed flowers, licorice and mint are some of the nuances that emerge from this fleshy, mid-weight offering. The aromas and flavors are decidedly on the ripe side of the spectrum in the racy 2006, but the intensity of the fruit covers the tannins nicely, making this an attractive wine for near-term pleasure.
The 2005 Brunello di Montalcino is wonderfully plump and juicy in its expressive red fruit. Floral notes are woven throughout, giving the wine its sense of lift and proportion. Though not as explosive as the 2004, the 2005 Brunello di Montalcino offers outstanding persistence on the palate and a long, generous finish. This is a terrific effort form Ciacci.
A solid red, with silky tannins and mineral, berry and lightly toasted oak. Full and rich. Lovely now, but better in 2012.
The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino reveals sweet, open aromatics meld seamlessly into a perfumed core of ripe red fruits. This is one of the more intensely scented, fruit-driven Brunellos of the vintage. The wine reveals superior density and richness in an engaging style. The softness of the tannins makes the wine accessible even today, yet the flavor profile is decidedly youthful. Readers looking for a measure of terriary development will need to give this wine a few years in bottle. This bottling is made from the estate's youngest vines.
The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino reveals sweet, open aromatics meld seamlessly into a perfumed core of ripe red fruits. This is one of the more intensely scented, fruit-driven Brunello's of the vintage. The wine reveals superior density and richness in an engaging style. The softness of the tannins makes the wine accessible even today, yet the flavor profile is decidedly youthful. Readers looking for a measure of tertiary development will need to give the wine a few years in bottle. The bottling is made form the estate's youngest vines. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.
The estate's medium-bodied 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is made in an accesible, forward style. Dark cherries, tobacco, earthiness and tar nuance all flow form the glass in this poised, feminine expression of Sangiovese form the southern part of Montalcino. The wine shows outstanding persistence and a pretty note of freshness that rounds out the finish.
Deep red. Brooding aromas of dark cherry, plum, date and roasted coffee. Sweet, ripe and broad but not heavy; very suave and aromatic in the mouth, with good verve. A firmly structured wine that finishes with ripe but serious tannins, an impression of elevated alcohol and very good length. Late notes of leather, game and minerals add nuance.
Good red-ruby. Subtly complex nose melds cassis, truffle and expensive oak; shows an almost liquor-like sweetness. Then supple, dense and bright, with a pliant texture and excellent depth of flavor. This is ripe and fleshy but also classically dry, structured and elegant, with lovely inner-mouth perfume. Very penetrating, long wine, finishing with suave tannins that are firm but fine.
The 1998 Brunello di Montalcino exhibits a soft, supple, elegant, sweet nose of underbrush, licorice, jammy currants and cherries, spice box, and tobacco. Medium-bodied and luscious, this sexy, kinky Brunello will drink well for 5-10 years.
