Brunello di Montalcino

93 Canalicchio di Sopra Montosoli (Red) 2018

Subtle chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of menthol-eucalyptus on the nose. Mineral and blue flowers. Firm minerality (somewhat reminiscent of the Banfi Marrucheto). Cool firmness plays off well against the intensely ripe fruit and generous extraction. Powerful grip, structure, and powerful blue-black velvet fruit. Beautiful acidity and extremely interesting tannins - they're moderately powerful but incredibly fine-grained and managed. A hint of oaky sweetness on the finish, combined with soft ripe stone fruit. Beautifully balanced, fantastic intensity. Age-worthy but a real joy to drink right now. Extremely skillful winemaking at work here.

93 Canalicchio di Sopra Casaccia (Red) 2018

Toasty oak, subtle herbal spice and coffee grounds on the nose. Youthful and vibrant. Grounded by gorgeous long acidity, mouthwatering and crunchy. Youthful, firm, grippy chalky tannins. Crunchy, moreish, nutty. I'm really surprised by how young and cool-climate barely ripe this seems - the acidity is vibrant and energetic, the fruit is redcurrant fresh, gently floral, but oh-so-beautiful. I'd give a slight edge to the Montosoli if I had to pick one.

93 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Pianrosso (Red) 2018

Smoky red fruit aromas. Red fruit, floral, some black inky minerality but incredible concentration of primary red fruit backed up by some some slightly savoury notes. Powerful. Lovely fresh acidity, firm supple silky tannins leading to an exceptionally elegant body. Beautiful spice and cedar and perfectly ripe fruit, masterful balance. It isn't trying to be over-extracted or over-ripe, but neither has it gone down the path of freshness and austerity.

93 Le Gode Montosoli (Red) 2018

Medium pale. Slight eucalyptus, bitter almonds, and floral aromas. Red cherry fruit with a dark black velvet inner core. Firm juicy fruit. Beautifully youthful vibrant tannins, almost berry-pippy, somehow incredibly fresh and zippy with long fresh acidity. Alcohol is wonderfully integrated - I am surprised to see this is 15abv. I love the sweet nutty earnest tannins that are round and warm and supple right up until the finish when they rear up and refuse to let you go easily. Beautiful wine that will be only better in a few years.

93 San Polino Helichrysum (Red) 2018

Floral pot pourri. Very pale red. Long fresh acidity with ripe cherries, wild strawberry and blossom silky smoothness gliding over the palate and around the powerful, chewy tannins. A lovely balance of a wine showing great potential to age while being beautifully drinkable now.

92 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino (Red) 2021

Ruby red. Smoky sandalwood and cedar. Vibrant acidity, juicy cranberry and redcurrants. Floral, perfumed, orchard fruit. High alcohol but barely evident. Beautiful oak. Silky tannins. Joyous, serious, vibrant. This may be a Rosso but don't expect entry-level.

92 San Polino Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2018

Mahogany red. Fresh leafy aromas, ripe juicy supple red fruit with rich black chocolate supple tannins. Very easy drinking even now! Vibrant acidity, extracted but vibrant tannins. Lovely complexity, beautiful combination of fruit and structure with good intensity. Love the pomegranate freshness and bruised red apples that last well into the finish.

92 Altesino Montosoli (Red) 2018

Red. Closed cedar aromas, hints of garrigue. Intense jammy black fruit, well-extracted spice. Rich and luscious with long fresh, fine acidity, subdued but crunchy tannins. Slightly grainy texture. Lovely balance. Lots of black cherries. Pretty extraction that makes this more drinkable than expected for 2018. Creamy chocolatey smoothness on the finish combined with subtle notes of roasting coffee and black berries. Lovely wine that does what Brunello does best.

92 Il Poggiolo Terra Rossa (Red) 2018

Cedar and floral aromas, intense spice and cooked apples. Lovely delicacy of raspberries, cherries, fresh acidity - crisp, cool minerality. Tannins are firmly structural but a lovely and almost soft prettiness develops on the finish, with great structure and very firm acidity. Very pretty would love to come back in a few years.

91 Sesti Rosso di Montalcino (Red) 2020

Surprisingly big, jammy, ripe fruit on the nose opens out to opulent redcurrant fruit on the palate, coupled with zesty fresh acidity and menthol, eucalyptus, herbal and delicate cherry notes. Some pretty nutty depth coming from the oak supports the freshness with well balanced tannins and some deeper note of dark chocolate emerging later. Nice complexity, well-balanced, and recognisably Sangiovese aromatically and structurally - especially the fine lacy acidity.

91 La Togata Carillon (Red) 2020

Very pale red. Honeyed jasmine floral notes on the nose. On the palate very ripe fruit, delicate cherries with fresh leafy hints on the finish of the long high acidity. Textured, furry black chocolate and spice tannins, the alcohol adding extra richness. Overall this wine is fresh, vibrant, youthful and elegant with well-integrated tannins. 

91 Cantina di Montalcino Lorenzo Melani Rosso di Montalcino (Red) 2021

Purple blood red - and opulently jammy, fruity, supple. Gorgeous, firm, dry and grippy tannins (slightly mineral) that manage to be both crisp and youthful and velvet-smooth. Crisp red fruit and lots of it, beautiful tannins, lovely structure. Long fresh acidity - a refreshingly mouthwatering mouthful. What an absolutely stunning wine that has everything I want and just feels young and vibrant and fresh while still having depth and a premium feel overall.

91 La Magia Cilliegio (Red) 2018

Cherry fruit. Slightly lifted aromas, herbal and fresh menthol. Black chocolate and rounded minerality. Very tight, dark, almost powdery tannins. Slightly sweet oaky vanilla contributing very prettily to the fine tannins, fruity green apple acidity. Lovely coolness and balance. Very fine, elegant fresh wine with age-worthy tannins and some rather lovely fruity aromatics. Linear structure, elegant fruity finish. Very different to others of the vintage - commonality is the long fresh acidity.

91 Bruni Laire (Red) 2019

Spice on the nose. Big black spicy jammy fruit with very firm mineral tannins and typical Sangiovese high acidity. Tannins are supple and fresh and very firm with a slight leathery note and black chocolate and violets. Much more accessible and drinker-friendly than Brunello. Lovely elegance, fruity, approachable - for the price, it's a great alternative to Brunello that's actually going be a much better fit for most people.

91 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2018

Very pale. Slightly tarry dried fruit, lots of cherries. Fresh acidity - amazingly alcohol not very evident, which is really surprising. Dried tannins. Delicate, very ripe fruit.

91 Le Chiuse Diecianni (Red) 2017

Fairly restrained nose - some mellow restrained aromatics. On palate, tight restrained tannins that are very structural and not dominating. Good acidity. Beautifully youthful.

90 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2018

Mahogany red. Dark fruit aromas continue on the palate with  intense concentration of ripe black fruit, dried fruit, ripe toffee sweetness, supple black velvety and powdery tannins with hints of smoky oak. The big crunchy redcurrant acidity - really mouth-wrenchingly extracted, balances the fruit and gives freshness leaving with the pretty,  sweetly-ripe fruit in the background keeping things interesting. Big, classic, nicely balanced.

90 Verbena Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2018

Red. Ripe floral aromas, pt pourri, blood oranges. Delicately charming with ripe firm integrated tannins. Stunning acidity. Fresh silky fruit and tannins. Not sure if it has long ageing potential - very modern, approachable, and enjoyable today.

90 Cortonesi Poggiarelli (Red) 2018

Slightly herbal, lots of black fruit on the nose, leading to saline, steely, inky mineral red fruit and firm grippy furry acidity. Tannins are firm but discrete, leaving the fruit to shine. Structure restrained and closed, leaving it balanced today but begging to be kept for a few years to open up and showcase its power and extraction.

90 Cantina Ottantreottanta Morellino di Scansano (Red) 2020

Spice and intense ripe fruit with floral perfume aromas. Firm tannins, quite a serious structured wine. Fine black fruit and long fresh acidity with a saline mineral finish balancing the black fruitiness. Certainly a fruitier, supple take on Morellino.

94 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 1995

Dark mahogany. Dark floral pot-pourri, inky and mineral aromas. Beautifully fresh ripe red fruit, with stunning intensity, aromatic citrus freshness, long fresh acidity, balanced, fresh and vibrant, balanced tannins. Feels youthful and is exactly what I expected from old Brunello - improved with age and a fantastically concentrated wine. I'm not sure I can describe it - but the second you take a sip you can't feel to be enchanted by its beautiful velvet texture, elegant and poised structure, and fantastic balance of fruit despite the age and acidic tannins.

93 San Carlo Rosso di Montalcino (Red) 1978

Brown mahogany. Aromas of mature fruit, raisins, orange zest, dark florals and slightly sweet gamey aromas.  Lovely fresh acidity with fragrant delicate cherry, _fragola di bosca_ fruit, subtle bruised fruit and raisins. First impression suggested the wine was beginning to dry out but as the wine opened in the glass it transformed into a wine with lively charm, plenty of energetic tannins, enthusiastic acidity and plenty of floral fruit. Firm but softened well integrated tannins. Deliciously fresh and vibrant with mellow ripeness.

93 Col d'Orcia Poggio al Vento (Red) 2001

Dark mahogany colour. Floral red berry nose. On the palate mouth watering, crunchy acidity carries fresh and vibrant red fruit: cherries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, some intense jammy ripeness, notes of eucalyptus and spice and nicely integrated and firm, powerful tannins with a subtle minerality on the finish. Despite the tannins, this wine is highly enjoyable, enjoyable, approachable, well-integrated and beautifully rounded.

93 Fattoria La Gerla Gli Angeli (Red) 2007

Surprisingly brown-reddish brick red. Sweet ripe red fruit, floral aromas.  On the palate the wine opens out to reveal the intensity, the ripeness, the fullness of fruit, the extraction with balance. Chocolate, red fruit, fresh acidity, the tannins firm, concentrated and ripe.  Big, massively inky, massively fruity, extremely extracted but with great balance, nice acidity. Floral lifted notes giving lightness.  Lovely new wood just peaking out around the edges. It's big, it's bold, but it's also drinker-friendly and absolutely delicious. The acidity on the finish makes you regret having to spit or not being able to have another glass - everyone will be fighting over it. Can imagine this with gnocchi with a pumpkin filling if in the north, or maybe here in Tuscany Pici with fagioli, cavolo nero and a sweet caramelised onion tomato sauce. Now I'm hungry.

92 Ferrero Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2005

Roasting coffee and mocha toasty aromas. Red berry and very ripe cherry fruit, high acidity. Black chocolate and cherries, rich despite the acidity. Quite charming with mature, integrated structure. Subtly floral on the finish - almost Piemontese violets and classically elegant lightweight tannins. Ageing well and exactly what I would look for.

91 Antinori Pian delle Vigne (Red) 1997

Dark mahogany, Scented cedar and red berry fruit. Long firm concentrated body and very high acidity, firm tannins, mouthwatering, intense and concentrated with lightness and elegance. Dark fruit. Intense cedar, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, herbal, garrigue. It's ever so slightly soupy on the palate, with deep barely mineral plummy tannins. Acidity and fruit take a back seat. It's really nice, but it lacks the beautiful balance of the Caprili. I think it was just big and jammy when young, and has only improved since then.

91 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2007

Darker, mahogany red.  This wine feels so much much younger than 2007 and shows what appears to be a more modern profile starting with its aromas smoky tea and opening out to reveal sweet ripe black chocolate fruit, ripe and almost jammy extracted fruit, supple charm carried by fresh acidity to a lovely mouthwatering finish. The big tannins are still quite youthful and there is lots of new oak evident on the finish still. It's really quite lovely with fresh energy and plenty of fruit to show. A nice combination of modern, gently Parker-y oomph and plenty of moderately old-school new oak playing through.