Cerbaia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018

This thrilling Brunello producer has been making wine since the 1982 vintage, but is only coming to prominence today. It is a winery that is going to make a serious splash in the coming years. In the end, the choice for these wines is likely to come down to personal preference because all recent offerings are a little bit special. 2018 is a vintage that has copped a few backhanders from certain critics, who, I would argue, miss the point. This is a vintage that offers elegance and finesse. If you prefer blockbuster Shiraz to refined Pinot Noir, the 2018s may not resonate with you. Personally, I find them entrancing. This is a gleaming deep red with a nose offering florals, cigar box notes, cherries and a hint of tomato bush. Wonderful elegance here, exquisitely fresh and with balance. There are abundant tannins, but they are ultra-fine. Serious length. This is a lovely example of Brunello at its most elegant and will drink beautifully for the next six to eight years.

Opening to a medium-dark garnet color, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino offers direct and thick lines with ripe cherry, blackcurrant, leather and tilled earth. The wine is structured and firm at the back thanks to the quality of the tannins, and it offers generous fruit texture and concentration. This is a textbook Brunello from a warm vintage.

Sour cherries, orange zest, bark and tobacco leaves on the nose. Some olives and walnut husk. Savory and sleek with a medium body, tight-grained tannins and a chewy finish. Lovely pure sangiovese character. Better from 2024.

The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino features a slightly wild side, with aromas of sour black cherry, orange zest, saddle leather, and medicinal herbs. Medium-bodied, with tangy acidity and fine tannins, it is ripe with fresh soil, crunchy red plum, cranberry, and dusty tannins that hang through the finish. An attractive and savory wine, it would be well-suited to serve with game and poultry. Drink 2025-2035.