2020
Cortonesi La Manella (Red) 2020 - 91Slightly jammy blue fruit on the nose. Creamy, nutty, quite a bit of oak and lees providing aromatic richness. Lovely concentration and complexity on the palate - rich, concentrated, intense, but also extracted. Very extracted. There is a lovely youthful fruity freshness to the acidity and very chalky, sharp tannins, but there are a lot of both. A very lot. The alcohol provides a nice richness, softness and lift on the finish - but this is very traditional. It's ripe and not over-extracted, and I love the sweetness of the oak that plays with the pretty redcurrants and strawberries, but overall this is still a tough wine to love. Hard and a little mineral on the finish, but still very refined.
Tasted November 20242019
Cortonesi La Manella (Red) 2019 - 91Translucent garnet. Lots of coffee, cacao, subtle herbal notes. Rich and crunchy. Some red cherries, sour cherries, cherry stone. Hints of gingrbread, and more torrefied coffee, black chocolate. Pretty and lightly floral on the palate, with supple inkiness, gentle tannins, and a lot of alcohol providing warmth, lift, and a counter-balance to the very significant tannins. Somewhat excessively erring on the side of traditional, I think that for many people this wine will be benchmark Brunello.
Tasted November 2024