2015 - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Gianni Brunelli

This 2015 Gianni Brunelli Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has a dark ruby color and the nose is tight and compact with aromas of dark cherries macerated in alcohol, with black cherry and floral notes and a fleeting hint of waxiness or resin. On the palate it is almost impossible not to swallow. This is one of the best 2015s I have tasted because the exuberant ripeness of the fruit is held in check in this darker, cool-headed expression of the hot 2015 vintage. There is some very gentle oak in the background, easing the wine into a long finish. Unlike many of the fruit-oak “bombs” that 2015 sometimes produced in Tuscany, this wine has dark fruits and austere elements that contrast with the vibrant exuberance of the vintage. Again, it has the signature of a Gianni Brunelli Brunello: a beautiful weightless quality and harmony on the palate.