BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast

spice and Spanish cedar. Textured and firm, bright and
fresh. Rosenthal Wine Merchants. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $80
89
Podere La Vigna 2006 Riserva (Brunello
di Montalcino). This Brunello shows aromas
of leather and cured meat without much fresh fruit to
hold it up. The structure and acidity is there, along with
tertiary aromas of crushed mineral, asphalt, candied
fruit and dried sage. Royalty Importers. —M.L.
abv: 15% Price: $90
88
Livio Sassetti 2006 Pertimali Riserva
(Brunello di Montalcino). This wine feels
wrapped in sunshine and warmth. There’s ripe fruit,
plus leather, barbecue sauce, cured meat and blackcurrant.
A soft, plush mouthfeel with a firm tannic backbone
lends sensations of dryness and power. Massanois
Imports. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $85
87
Marchesi Antinori 2006 Pian delle Vigne
Riserva Vignaferrovia (Brunello di Montalcino).
This wine opens with some volatility that
shows up as dried apple skin, strawberry jam, apricot
and dusty earth. It offers polished tannins and bright,
buoyant feel. There are loads of ripe strawberry on the
close. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. —M.L.
abv: NA Price: $130
2006 BRUNELLO
98
Casanova di Neri 2006 Cerretalto
(Brunello di Montalcino). Cerretalto delivers
aromas of natural complexity and oak-driven tones
of cinnamon, clove, chocolate and exotic spice. The
fruit is dark, dense and ripe. There’s extra roundness
and density in the mouth that holds together the wine’s
firm tannins and its crisp, acidic component. Hold 10–
20 more years. Dalla Terra Winery Direct. Cellar Selection.
—M.L.
abv: 14.5% Price: $215
95
La Rasina 2006 Il Divasco (Brunello di
Montalcino). La Rasina has hit a winning formula
with Il Divasco. This wine is bold and opulent,
with lavish layers of bright fruit, spice, cola and leather.
It is one of those Brunellos that seems to have melted
chocolate fudge at its core with a round, soft mouthfeel.
Impressive intensity and complexity are both there.
Montecastelli Selections. Editors’ Choice. —M.L.
abv: 14.5% Price: $75
94
Tenimenti Angelini 2006 Vigna Spuntali
Val di Suga (Brunello di Montalcino). This
full-bodied wine opens with compelling aromas of black
fruit, smoked bacon, leather, cinnamon and crushed
clove. There’s a sassy, spicy characteristic here that is
further underlined by the wine’s natural sweetness and
roundness. Vin Divino. —M.L.
abv: 14.5% Price: $106
94
Villa Le Prata 2006 Selezione Massimo
(Brunello di Montalcino). Selezione Massimo
is a dense and concentrated Brunello that delivers
dark fruit, espresso, cola, blackberry and licorice. It’s a
beautiful interpretation of the Montalcino territory, ex-
22 | WINE ENTHUSIAST | MONTH 2012
ecuted with a bold, modern flair. Oak tones characterize
the wine. Vinity Wine Company. —M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $100
93
Tenuta Vitanza 2006 Brunello di Montalcino.
This well extracted wine is loaded with
ripe fruit, cassis, tobacco, leather and chocolate-covered
cherry. The wine is still young and astringent, so
let those tannins soften over the next 5–10 years. Vedi
Vintners Estates Direct Importing . —M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $60
93
Tenuta Vitanza 2006 Tradizione (Brunello
di Montalcino). Tradizione is a soft and luscious
Brunello with inky dark concentration and intense
aromas of dark fruit, rum cake and currant. The wine
is smooth and supple, with a finish that can be counted
in minutes. Vedi Vintners Estates Direct Importing
. —M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $46
92
Casato1 2006 Voliero (Brunello di Montalcino).
Brunello Voliero is a dark and savory
wine that is packed tight with red berry, cherry liqueur,
toasted spice, leather and lasting tones of dried tobacco
and cigar box. Three years of aging in large oak casks
has helped shape a soft, velvety and polished mouthfeel.
Michael Skurnik Wines. —M.L.
abv: 15% Price: $55
92
Il Valentiano 2006 Campo di Marzo
(Brunello di Montalcino). Darkly concentrated,
boldly aromatic and intense, this pretty Brunello
delivers modern aromas of chocolate, espresso bean,
ripe fruit, blackberry and rum cake. The mouthfeel is
smooth and rich, and the wine maintains its momentum
thanks to the softness of its texture. Vidalco International,
LLC. —M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $60
92
Tenuta Carlina 2006 La Togata (Brunello
di Montalcino). This vintage of La Togata has
a dark, brooding garnet color, and compelling aromas
of ripe fruit, blackberry, rum cake, spice, leather, dried
ginger and pipe tobacco. If offers a soft, plush texture
and a velvety finish. Panebianco. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $72
91
Coldisole 2006 Brunello di Montalcino.
Coldisole opens with oak-driven aromas of coffee
bean, smoked bacon, dark spice and savory bresaola
and fruit aromas that resemble dried prune, cassis and
plum cake. The wine excels in the mouth where it displays
silky, polished feel. W.J. Deutsch & Sons. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $55
91
Ruffino 2006 Greppone Mazzi (Brunello
di Montalcino). This Brunello opens with elegantly
on the nose, with small berry, cassis and wild
blueberry aromas. Beyond the steady, feminine bouquet
is a wine that has power, determination and personality,
with savory endnotes of spice and fresh pipe
tobacco. Icon Estates. —M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $79
91
Tenute Niccolai 2006 Podere Bellarina
(Brunello di Montalcino). This 2006 Brunello
delivers loads of rich intensity, chocolate fudge, ripe
cherry and tobacco, with soft, velvety tones at the back.
It’s a bold, masculine wine with an attractive personality.
Angelini Wine. —M.L.
abv: 15% Price: $70
90
Livio Sassetti 2006 Pertimali (Brunello di
Montalcino). The 2006 Pertimali tastes better
than the 2006 Riserva and the 2007 Brunello. This
wine is uniquely characterized by bold freshness and
richness showing the clean and precise quality of Sangiovese
fruit. The aftertaste is long, spicy and firm. Give
this wine 5–10 more years. Massanois Imports. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $55
89
Vini Italiani da Sogno 2006 Carillon
(Brunello di Montalcino). Carillon opens
with a dark, concentrated appearance and smoky aromas
of barbecue, spice and toasted oak. The fruit element
comes forth on the palate, revealing the wine’s
bright cherry and crème de cassis notes. Panebianco.
—M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $60
88
Lisini 2006 Ugolaia (Brunello di Montalcino).
Ugolaia is a delicious and attractive
wine, but there’s no denying that the overripe aromas of
strawberry and raspberry jam subtract from the wine’s
overall sophistication. The mouthfeel is soft, round and
plush. Empson (USA) Ltd. —M.L.
abv: 14.5% Price: $140
88
Villa I Cipressi 2006 Zebras (Brunello di
Montalcino). Lean and light, with aromas of
muddled fruit and spice. This wine does not have huge
staying power but the wine does offer a simple, clean
close, with a touch of fresh acidity. A.I. Selections .
—M.L.
abv: 14% Price: $70
OTHER BRUNELLOS
92
Col d’Orcia 2004 Poggio al Vento (Brunello
di Montalcino). Poggio al Vento (from the
2004 vintage) shows smoky and savory notes of forest
floor, bramble, cured meat, barbecue spice and teriyaki
sauce. The wine is compact in the mouth, with polished
tannins. Palm Bay International. —M.L.
abv: 14.5% Price: $150
92
Rendola 2004 Brunello di Montalcino.
An older vintage, the 2004 Rendola opens with
notes of ripe fruit, pressed flowers, exotic spice, leather
and licorice, with a clean, polished mouthfeel. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $NA
88
Castello di Vicarello 2005 Carlo Baccheschi
Berti Riserva (Brunello di Montalcino).
This garnet-colored riserva opens with savory
spice, leather notes, with aromas of cured meat and barbecue
smoke. The 2005 vintage was a warm one, and
the ripeness of the fruit is evident on the bouquet and
in the soft texture of the mouthfeel. Drink now. Omniwines
Distribution. —M.L.
abv: 13.5% Price: $NA