Fattoria dei Barbi strikes a terrific balance between elegance and sheer muscle in the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. This Riserva is distinguished by dark fruit and savory tones of toasted clove, cedar, campfire ash, leather, tobacco and smoked bacon. Those smoky flavors are expertly woven into the thick fiber of this well-structured wine. They may not appeal to everyone, and indeed this wine offers a higher level of aromatic intensity compared to many of its peers, but I quite like it. Some winter nights call for a robust Brunello to pair with grilled meat cooked over an open flame as snowflakes fall gently outside. This wine completes that pretty picture. Some 6,700 bottles were produced.

A dense, muscular red, this sports black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco and tar flavors. There is requisite fruit to offset the gruff tannins, with a long aftertaste of fruit, savory and mineral. Best from 2023 through 2042. 250 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add