2001 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura

The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura represents a noticeable step up from the regular bottling. It offers more expressive aromatics along with darker, riper fruit and a richly-textured, layered feel on the palate owing to its greater concentration. Pretty notes of tobacco, underbrush and minerals develop in the glass, and the wine finishes with more tannic clout than the regular bottling, suggesting a greater presence of new oak that will require a few years to integrate. Anticipated maturity

Red-ruby. Spicy, musky aromas of sweet red berries and exotic spices and flowers. Sweet, lush and packed with fruit; seamless, suave and quite concentrated. This is quite layered and full but less heavyhanded than some past vintages. Finishes with suave tannins and excellent persistence.

Very much deeper than the regular bottling. Deep ruby. Flatteringly rich, almost brûlée aromas with a hint of mushrooms. Very rich, sweet beginning and the fruit just slightly lacking freshness. Still some astringency. A bit muted but perfectly serviceable. (JR)