The 2004 Cortaccio is gorgeous. An array of dark fruit, wild herbs, blackberries, spices and toasted oak flow from this layered and complex wine. Though voluptuous and soft, there is enough tannic backbone lurking below the fruit to guarantee another decade-plus of very fine drinking. Cortaccio is Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak. The vineyards are in Panzano. Although a sub-zone of Greve, this is technically a microclimate that deserves to be recognized for its own distinctive qualities. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020.
Importer: F & F Fine Wines International, Inc., Rutherford, NJ; tel. (201) 935-5935