2001 Le Macchiole Brunello di Montalcino

The estate's medium-ruby colored 2001 Brunello di Montalcino shows an expressive nose along with vibrant layers of sweet fruit on a medium-bodied, firmly structured frame with excellent length, fine, elegant tannins and a lively note of minerality that provides freshness on the finish. It should be at its best in a few years and drink well to age 15-20. A beautiful, finely nuanced, understated Brunello. Anticipated maturity

Medium red. Aromas of cherry, plum, dried flowers and menthol. Supple, sweet and vinous, with rather suave flavors of red berries, flowers, leather and tobacco. There's something vaguely jammy and exotic about this Brunello, but it's a classic version of sangiovese, with good vinosity, a firm tannic spine and a lingering floral perfume.

From a small, 3 ha plot of Guyot trained vines and made and aged in large oak. Mid ruby. A little dominated by oak and damsons on the nose. Very sweet and juicy and a little bit simple on the front palate. Quite rude, crude fruit. Should be interesting to see this wine as the vines age… (JR)