This is Roberto Cipresso’s own small operation near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. The new casks gave the first wines a slightly oaky personality, but the last two vintages have shown excellent balance. The 1998 Brunello di Montalcino, a dark and solid garnet, boasts a warmed, singed nose of plummy fruit, caramel, tar, and some chocolate on the tail end. The flavors, warmed by the alcohol, are sweet and full, the mineral and leather notes enticing, and the long and intense finish promise years of life ahead for this stylish, well concentrated wine, until 2012-2014 at a minimum. Importers: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 398-5871 and Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 626-2121