The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino comes across as timid and restrained on first nose and needs a few minutes of swirling before it starts to open. Once it does, slowly, it reveals seductive tones of red currant, Indian spice, balsam herb and chopped mint. This dark, garnet-hued wine is ultimately more expressive in the mouth, where it delivers rich texture and a more substantial, fleshy sense of cherry fruit closed by drying, evident tannins. It is aged for 12 months in demi-muid barrels typically used in the Rhone Valley and subsequently aged in large oak cask for an additional 12 months. Give the wine five years or more to soften that still young tannin. Drink: 2017-2027. Classic, elegant and ethereal, Agostina Pieri releases some of the most rewarding wines in Montalcino today. Pieri’s son Francesco Monaci manages a seven-hectare estate located in the southern part of the appellation just south of the hilltop hamlet Sant’Angelo in Colle. The estate is celebrated for its traditional approach to Brunello and the high standards it achieves with impeccably farmed fruit. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., www.rarewineco.com

A mellow red, with a mulled character to the cherry and plum fruit. Offers hints of licorice and spice and dense yet ripe tannins, exhibiting balance and a lingering finish. Best from 2015 through 2024. 1,200 cases made, 250 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add