2011 Brunello di Montalcino Piaggione Riserva

Good bright, dark red-ruby. Very deep, ripe, pure aromas and flavours of blueberry, blackberry, violet, minerals, tobacco and peppery spices. Densely packed, creamy and firm, almost brooding in fact, with compelling sweetness of fruit but not heavy owing to its firm, harmonious acids. Serious, juicy wine that is still very much and infant and that will require patience. It’s also my early candidate for best 2011 Brunello Riserva of the year.

The initials SV (for single vineyard) have been added to the label of the 2011 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Piaggione SV. Salicutti has only made a Riserva three times in its history in 2004, 2008 and now in 2011. This wine takes the horns on the heat of the 2011 vintage and magically transforms all that extra sunshine energy into richness, texture and soft pleasure. The wine opens to a dark ruby color and presents a full and complete array of Sangiovese aromas ranging from dark cherry to spice to grilled herb. It reveals a very fine, silky texture with integrated tannins.