The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous in this vintage. Waves of dark fruit caress the palate as this juicy, delicious wine reveals its considerable charms. The fruit shows lovely weight and richness while maintaining an essentially mid-weight personality. Sweet scents of French oak linger on the round, caressing, impeccable finish. This is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade-plus. The harvest took place from the 2nd to the 5th of October. The wine spent 24 days on the skins, after which it was racked into cask, where it spent 45 months prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024. My visit with Giacomo Neri was fascinating. I had the opportunity to taste a number of fabulous wines, but the bottle that left the deepest impression on me was the 1981 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Though not explicitly identified as such, the 1981 Riserva was the first wine the estate made from the Cerretalto vineyard. The wine spent a full six years in cask, yet remains fresh and striking today, despite the average (at best) quality of the vintage. Most interesting of all is that the house’s trademark richness was already in place years before Giacomo Neri took over wine making duties from his father. Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405

There are plenty of cherry and plum flavors in this rich red, along with notes of bramble, spice and camphor. The tannins are dense and assertive now, and a sweet fruit component balances the finish, ending with a long aftertaste. Best from 2013 through 2027. 5,860 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add