2001 Castello di Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Excellent Brunello in a more traditional style. Garnet red color and very nice nose of berry, spice, and earth. Good weight on the palate and silky texture. Finishes strong and has years of ageing potential. Really a great bottle of wine.

2001 Fanti (Tenuta San Filippo) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Not what I had hoped for. Very dark, very big, very fruity, very angular, and very alcoholic. It definitely has a rocket fuel feel to it that I dislike. Extended aeration helped, but never quite cured the issues with this wine. The good news is that if you love dark berry fruit and dark/bitter chocolate, you will love this wine. Loaded to the gills in every aspect, lovers of this style should have a field day with this. A very modern and ultra clean version of Brunello that lacks some character.

2000 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Brilliant wine. Mature Brunello that shows pretty cherry and plum fruit with leather, earth, and a hint of licorice on the finish. Long, warm, and comforting. We had this with my home made pizza, and it was a perfect food-wine pairing. I bought this for less than $30 and at that price, it was a steal. A more traditional version of Brunello, I believe. I would recommend this wine and its producer based on this experience. 

1999 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

As always, a very solid wine. Great vintage, great producer, and riserva equals phenomenal wine. Juicy and sweet, this shows class, elegance, and the effects of the warm Tuscan sun on the fruit. Plum and cherries with balsam wood and a hint of earthiness and autumnal flavors. Delicious

1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Served with Fettuccine Alfredo and what a fantastic pairing. The wine's fruit, freshness, structure and spice really complemented the Fettuccine Alfredo. Lovely wine which shows a significant amount of earth and spice. The fine acidity helps cut through the butter and cream of the noodle dish. With this food pairing, the fruit does not get emphasized as the other parts of the wine, but there's still plenty of lovely fruit in it. Should be able to hold a while longer.

2000 La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Another day, another Brunello. And this one was very good, as well. Although it doesn't measure up to the Pertimali of a few nights before, it is still a very good wine. With 10 years of age on it, it shows nicely balanced, round, supple and soft, and it has a very attractive character of plum, cherry, dried herbs, earth, and barnyard. A touch of brett adds a little extra complexity to this wine. I purchased this at auction for about $29, which is a great deal for this wine.

2004 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

We had this at dinner at a local Italian restaurant favorite. And this wine didn't disappoint. It's hard to describe how this wine manages to deliver perfectly ripened fruit while at the same time delivering incredible finesse, elegance, and freshness. Apart from the wonderful fruit, the tobacco notes are very appealing and earthy notes help make this wine a benchmark young Brunello for me. As good as it is right now, it will only getting better for years to come. As highly recommended as any wine I have ever recommended.

1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Had this over the course of two nights. Started out surprisingly tight, but it unwound quickly. Nice plum and red berry fruit with tobacco, earth, and some dark chocolate. A funky wine in a good way, and a monster QPR. Only downside is that I picked up on a hint of bitterness/astringency. I think the tannins are beginning to outlast the fruit, so I think it's time to drink up with this wine. Certainly no need to drink it immediately, but I still think this needs to be consumed within the next five years.

2004 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Brilliant wine. In a moment of heresy, I opened this to drink with a dinner of Pizza. That said, despite the simple and rustic meal, this wine is just unbelievably fun to drink. Although it is young, it has layers upon layers of ripe Tuscan red and black fruits along with tobacco, leather, earth, and some barnyard. Although one can taste that the fruit was ripened in warm and sunny Tuscany, the wine retains fantastic freshness and has a structure that can reward decades of aging (based on my drinking of older vintages of Pertimali). This is a must buy for lovers of structured, finesse Brunello.

1999 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

Brilliant wine. Velvety smooth texture, but focused, layered cherry and plum fruit. Good freshness and tell-tale Italian funkiness in this wine. You can taste the warm Tuscan sun and earth. Lovely wine. Although this can certainly be held for some time to come, this is drinking absolutely spectacularly right now.

2000 Cerbaiola (Salvioni) Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

What a great wine. Amazingly pure black and red fruit, superb freshness, and a killer finish. Plum and blackberry, leather, earth, and a tiny bit of tobacco. Quite rustic and funky, but in a good way. The fruit screams sun drenched, yet it's light on its feet. Laser focused and restrained. If this isn't the best Brunello I've had, it is definitely one of the very best I've tasted. Amazing stuff and a real treat on a Saturday night. And did I mention that this went terrifically with food? Has the structure to age many more years, so no need to hurry. If you have a chance to buy this at a reasonable cost, this is a no-brainer purchase.

1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

• 1999 Fattoria La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (5/28/2009)
  This is definitely a winner. Deep dark berry and plum fruit with some tobacco, earth, and lots of italo-barnyard. Just a classy wine with a velvety and silk texture and a classy finish. If there's a wine that goes great with roast pork, this is it. Food friendly yet nicely ripe and fresh at the same time. Love this stuff. Only word of caution....I had it open for a few days, and after three days, it began tasting a little pruney...tells me that it should be had in the next 5 years or so. YMMV.

Posted from CellarTracker

1999 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

This is excellent. Definitely a big, burly style of Sangiovese. Dark, dark color and aromas of black cherry, black currant, mossy tree bark, and clay-like earth. Fruit is sweet, yet the wine remains pleasantly dry and firmly old-world. Sensational texture with great suppleness of fruit, freshness, and grip. Finishes outstandingly and has many years left in the tank.

1999 Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino Campo del Drago (Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino)

This may be one of the best reds I've had this year. What is amazing is what this wine isn't. It's not a fruit bomb and it's not plush and sweet like many more modern Brunellos. It is instead am incredibly focused, intense, elegant, balanced Brunello that is sa old school as many of the old school producers like Pertimali and Salvioni. Great cherry, dark chocolate and freshness on the palate but without so much as a hint of heaviness on the palate. Just an awesome wine for Brunello fans.