2020
Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2020 - 92Slightly inky, dark, jammy fruit. Some blackcurrants, blueberries. Dark and lightly confected black fruit on the nose. Hints of black cherries, cooked and concentrated. Slightly herbal. On the palate, firm and surprisingly rich and creamy. Opulent, almost internationally so - none of Sangiovese's fresh zippiness or under-ripeness. Tannins are powerful - extremely powerful - but concentrated, softened by very high acidity that seems at home with the concentrated berry fruit. Light, elegant, delicate, almost ethereal, with the tannins simply providing a lofty framework from which the fruit is able to wave from a distance. Very classy wine, that as it opens up feels increasingly Italian. At first this seemed internatinally opulent, but the tannins are proud and unmistakeable.
Tasted2019
Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino (Red) 2019 - 93Dark morello cherries. A hint of kirsch. Some spice, a little spirity. Nice richness, almost bready, brioche, toast, pretty and soft. Lovely delicate tannins, crunchy but with a dainty prettiness to them. Good concentration, some real complexity. Quite sharp chalky tannins, nice velvet texture. Lasting tannins, firm and grippy. Can't fault it. Beautiful balance.
Tasted November 2023