Candied pear, lemon curd and vanilla cream notes are elegant and juicy, with details of lemon verbena, ginger and honeycomb on the finish. Drink now. 

Bold and assertive, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino Campo Del Drago pours a bright red/garnet hue and leaps from the glass with aromas of cedar, Bing cherries, orange rind, wild herbs, tar, and bright spices. Medium to full-bodied, it has vibrant driving acidity, tensely coiled tannins, and mouthwatering saltiness through a persistent and savory finish. Drink 2026-2040.

A medium red hue, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino boasts a good deal of lifted spice intensity on the nose, with aromas of clove, blood orange, redcurrants, cranberries, spice, iron-rich earth, and toasted incense. It offers more vibrancy than I have come to expect from these wines. Medium-bodied and lively with a bright spine of acidity, it has a compact core of fine, angular tannins and a zesty mouthwatering finish. It’s quite a departure from previous wines from this estate, and it has a lot of tension. Drink 2026-2040.

Chardonnay-driven, the 2021 Apple Alley Vineyard is released later in the year than the Clark Road Vineyard, given more time on the yeast, with a March 2025 disgorgement. It has a crisp structure and purity, with more oak presence than the 2020, and 5 grams per liter dosage. It has a bold sense of place, sourced from a vineyard above the winery, fleshy, creamy, and medium-bodied, with a toasty concentration that persists through a long finish. Drink now and over the next 10-12 years.

The NV Brut Rosé is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay with 10-12% of wine from cask in the bottle, representing five to seven vintages’ worth of wine two to seven years old. There’s less reserve here than in the Brut, and the Pinot Noir makes it more expansive, with a more rounded texture. The wine is also quite structured. There’s a bright purity of cranberry and red cherry happening on the medium-bodied palate. Disgorged August 2023 with around 8 grams per liter dosage. Drink now and for the next 10-12 years.