Valdicava’s 2003 Brunello di Montalcino is a big, brooding effort loaded with black cherries, smoke, tar and earthiness. This expressive, powerful wine needs at least another year or two to settle down. While not as extreme as the 2001, it stands apart for its intensity of color and the sheer volume of its extract. In 2003 the Brunello spent three and a half years in 45 and 50-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks. Abruzzese says the spring rains in the northern part of Montalcino left the wines with enough water reserves to mature without going into hydric stress. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019. Once again proprietor Vincenzo Abruzzese has made one of the most concentrated Brunellos of the vintage. Still, the wines aren’t quite as extreme as in the past, when the Brunello was sometimes virtually black, as was the case with the 2001. According to oenologist Attilio Pagli, the saignees that were once common are largely a thing of the past, and today are used only sporadically in weaker vintages such as 2005. Yields are still a minuscule 20-25 hectoliters per hectare. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907

Enticing aromas of meat-and-mushroom pie mingle with rich plum and spices. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins and intense fruit and mineral flavors. Well-crafted, finishing long. The flagship Brunello in 2003. This is the wine of the vintage. Best after 2010. 2,800 cases made, 800 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add

Thickly extracted and inky black in appearance, this is a dense and impenetrable expression of Sangiovese Grosso. The wine’s aromas include dusty earth, tar, licorice, resin and dried currant berry. Be careful when pairing this wine: its power could overwhelm delicate food flavors. Try it with succulent steak or aged cheese.——M.L.(5/1/2009)—— 87