The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino immediately reminds you of the austerity and brawn inherent to this important category of wine. Brunello is released five years after the harvest precisely to allow complexity to develop in the bottle. That careful evolution has transpired nicely here. The wine shows dark plum and dried blackberry in a leading role, with spice, tar, tobacco and campfire ash at the back. The tannins are present but on the soft side, and the wine weighs in with medium-rich fruit weight. Some 51,000 bottles were made.

Sleek and focused, with a supple feel to the cherry, raspberry, hibiscus and chalky mineral flavors. Well-balanced, finishing with a crisp feel now that should stretch out nicely in time. Best from 2025 through 2042. 4,300 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino opens like a spice box full of exotic treasures. Steeped cherries, crushed cranberries, violet pastille, spiced blood orange and dusty rose can all be found as it opens in the glass. It splashes across the palate, full of energy and juicy in style, with a seductive core of ripe wild berry fruits and inner florals. This doesn't miss a beat, finishing amazingly fresh and vibrant, with nuances of blackberry and sour citrus framed by a subtle staining of fine tannins. Fanti really outdid themselves; the 2018 Brunello is a beauty.

Sour and cooked cherries, oranges, milk chocolate and red licorice. Fruity and succulent with a medium to full body and creamy tannins. Ripe and velvety finish. Drink or hold.