“The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino from Castiglion del Bosco is an excellent young wine. The Sangiovese Grosso for this bottling is grown in the Capanna Vineyard, which sits at one of the higher elevations in Brunello and helps to mitigate some of the summer heat of our era of global warming. The wine offers up a lovely nose of cherries, a touch of blood orange, cigar wrapper, a lovely base of soil tones, brown spices, just a hint of fresh oregano and a deft framing of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and beautifully transparent in profile, with a lovely core of red fruit, excellent soil signature, ripe, buried tannins and fine length and grip on the poised, balanced and complex finish. This is a very fine, young bottle of classy Brunello; it will require plenty of cellaring before its tannins have softened up, but it is going to have a long and rewarding plateau of drinkability once it has blossomed. Beautifully old school in style! 2033- 2085.”

“Fascinating nose of pungent mushroom, almost truffly notes, together with ripe red berries and a twist of more exotic dates. Full-bodied with an excellent balance of ripe fruit, velvety but not chewy tannins and a long, tasty finish. You want to drink this now, but it will continue to improve with age. Best from 2024.”

“A dusty blend of cedary spice, mentholated herbs, rose petals and sour cherry wafts up from the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s round and supple in feel, with floral-laced red and black fruits complemented by a subtle tinge of sweet spice. This leaves a bitter twang of sour berries, while a burst of residual acidity adds a cheek-puckering freshness, and a gentle tug of tannin slowly recedes. The 2018 has improved each time I’ve tasted it in the last five months, and it now shows the ruggedness of Northwestern Montalcino Sangiovese, but in a wonderfully balanced way.”

“The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago wafts up with a compelling mix of crushed stone, savory herbs, wild strawberries and rose tones. This is elegant yet finessed in feel, with silky textures and pure, ripe red and blue fruits that take on a crunchy feel toward the close, as inner violet and lavender tones arch across the palate. Long and sapid, the 2018 finishes lightly tannic, packed full of salty minerals, and with floral perfumes that go on and on. Often dark and brooding to the extreme, I was very impressed with this 2018 Campo del Drago. There’s a beautiful balance here, but also admirable depth for the vintage. Well done.”

“Mid to deep ruby. Perfumed, spice nose with minerally notes. Fine polished fruit that is truly fresh. Long, grainy tannins. Lush and fresh at the same time.”