Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2010

This wine makes it clear why the Brunello belongs to the greatestwines of Italy. The nose already suggests another dimension. Discover ethereal aromas such as balsamic notes, such as nuances of prune, cedar wood and raisins. Rich in finesse and balanced onthe palate. It reveals its complexity in a unique manner, the exploration of which requires time and leisure. An orchestral wine, fresh and cool, that flows over the palate.

From the excellent 2010 vintage, this combines succulence and savor in a powerful yet lithe frame. The fruit comes from the estate’s organically farmed vineyards in Montalcino’s southern sector, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate, where the slopes rise from 650 to 1,300 feet in altitude—cool heights that help the fruit preserve acidity. Aged for five years in large Slavonian casks, the wine needs a little air to get past its initial notes of volatility, then reveals a dense core of black-cherry fruit infused with fresh herbs and spices. The flavors turn savory as the wine evolves in the glass, picking up notes of smoked meat and fire-roasted tomatoes even as saline acidity freshens the finish. Built for the long haul, it should rest at least five more years in the cellar.