2017 Brunello di Montalcino, Biondi-Santi, Tuscany, Italy

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is a model of grace and refinement, with exotic spice nuances that blow off to reveal wild strawberries, rosemary, dried flowers and worn leather. It’s unbelievably lifted and refined for the vintage, with a wave of saline-tinged red fruits that cascade across a core of zesty acidity. There’s an edginess to the tannins that shows a bit of the warm and dry conditions of the year, yet balance is expertly maintained as the 2017 leaves licorice and bitter cherry notes to fade slowly. I’m impressed, especially considering the extended barrel aging practiced at Biondi Santi. I don’t expect the 2017 to be one of the greatest renditions of the Annata from this estate over the years, but it is a highly successful wine for the vintage.

Drink 2025-2033

A delicately sweet note of fresh summer cherry is a precursor to budding complexity and a very articulate bouquet that opens quickly in the glass. Immediately pleasing fruit is a characteristic of the 2017 growing season that had above average temperatures and drought throughout the summer. The resistant 2017 Brunello di Montalcino takes on these challenges without missing a beat. The wine's celebrated acidity and its small berry nuances remain intact. The tannins are silky and the wine's flavors fade slowly even after you have taken your last sip.

Drink 2026 – 2045