2003 Brunello di Montalcino

Medium red-ruby. Complex aromas and flavors of plum, redcurrant, tobacco and earth. Round, sweet and concentrated, with a fine-grained texture and considerable elegance. I like the sexy oak spice component here, which is in harmony with the wine's fruit. Finishes quite long, with well-buffered tannins. A beauty.

Fuligni's gorgeous 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is unquestionably one of the stars of the vintage. Made in a style that captures elements of both traditional and modern styles, it presents a very attractive array of ripe red fruits, smoke, tar and tobacco and toasted oak on a firm, classically-built frame. While it isn't quite as fresh as some of the other Brunellos from this part of the zone, its seamless texture and silky tannins make for a beautifully-balanced wine to enjoy now and over the next dozen years or so. This is just about as good as it gets in the tricky 2003 vintage.

Fuligni’s gorgeous 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is unquestionably one of the stars of the vintage. Made in a style that captures elements of both traditional and modern styles, it presents a very attractive array of ripe red fruits, smoke, tar and tobacco and toasted oak on a firm, classically-built frame. While it isn’t quite as fresh as some of the other Brunellos from this part of the zone, its seamless texture and silky tannins make for a beautifully-balanced wine to enjoy now and over the next dozen years or so. This is just about as good as it gets in the tricky 2003 vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900