2020 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

A jeweled magenta/ruby color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is perfumed with preserved flowers, kirsch, fresh herbs, sage, and mossy earth. Full and elegant, it offers a silky mouthfeel, ripe tannins, even acidity, and a lovely, pure, concentrated, fresh feel. It's long on the palate, with its mouthwatering salinity and prettier red strawberry-noted perfume lasting on the finish. It's both approachable now and impeccably structured to enjoy over the coming 15-20 years.

Medium-deep in color, the 2020 Tenuta Nuova has aromas of potpourri, cherry liqueur, and game. Spherical on the palate, it's holding the alcohol quite well, although with just a touch of warmth on the finish. The acid is balancing but not at the forefront, with dark fruits and black tea on the focused and long finish.

The Casanova di Neri 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova stands apart in the context of this portfolio. I get a distinctly creamy note that cedes to almond paste, sweet cherry and chalky stone. The wine is open-knit and generous with velvety tannins and no bitterness on the finish. It has the bulk and the fresh fruit concentration for long cellar aging. It is texturally rich, ending with hints of cedar spice and something that reminds me of freshly broken tree branches. Yields were down by about 15% in this vintage. The wine matures in 500-liter barrels for 30 months, and 63,000 bottles were created.