Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio All'Oro 2015

Forest-floor, new leather and pipe-tobacco aromas mingle with notes of violet and coffee bean. Elegantly structured, the taut, savory palate doles out ripe black cherry, blackberry jam, licorice and a hint of espresso while polished, fine-grained tannins and tangy acidity provide age-worthy support. It's still youthfully austere so give it a few more years to come around.

The Castello Banfi 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio all'Oro is the top-shelf wine and shows careful integration and well-managed intensity. It opens to tart berry fruit, cassis and sour cherry. As it reveals itself in the glass, it begins to slowly deliver more spice, smoke and tar. All these various elements come together with balance and harmony, although these 2015 Riservas remain plumper and richer compared to their counterparts from 2016. Wait a few more years before opening this bottle; it needs more time. Some 27,000 bottles were made, and this wine will be released in September 2021.

Mixed-cherry, floral and crushed-stone aromas. Full-bodied with firm tannins and a fresh finish. Linear and tight with a line of fine tannins that holds this all together. Iodine and mushroom notes come through. Try after 2023.