Here's a bold and thickly layered expression from southern Tuscany. The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Manapetra opens to dark fruit and blackberry followed by spice, leather and cured tobacco. This medium to full-bodied Riserva exhibits dense tannic structure, but it also has enough fiber and fruit succulence to soften up any hard edges. Some 20,000 bottles were produced.

The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Manapetra by Fattoria La Lecciaia exhibits a firm and slightly stern personality with dried fruit nuances followed by tar, smoke, worn leather and campfire ash. The wine shows a deep garnet color, but it also has bright luminosity locked within. From a hot vintage, the 2012 Riservas sometimes deliver jammy fruit tones, or alternatively they deliver dried berry aromas. This wine does the latter.

The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Manapetra is the estate's top-shelf expression. This is a dark and complete wine with thick layers of bold fruit, spice, leather, tar and black spice. The intensity is muscular and the wine's textural thickness is impressive. It wraps over the palate with soft layers and evident fruity sweetness. Eight months in barrique and 30 months in botte grande have given the wine structure and staying power.

La Lecciaia has produced a second delicious wine in 2010 that reinforces the quality of fruit achieved by this estate. The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Manapetra follows the success of the Brunello annata version of this single-vineyard wine. The nose is austere and elegant, but it delivers loads of power and grace at the same time. The bouquet is compact and tight and there are no loose ends. Instead, this wine shows a very impressive level of balance and integration. The tannins are equally silky and polished.