2018 Brunello di Montalcino V. V.

Made with fruit from old vines, the Le Ragnaie 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V. V. is fine and delicate. It delivers etched aromas of wild berry, dried raspberry, redcurrant, balsam herb, crushed stone and blue flower. These elements are very true to the grape, and the wine covers the palate with elegant tannins and fresh acidity. Of the three single-vineyard wines released by Le Ragnaie, this wine is the most elaborate and complex in terms of mouthfeel. Only 3,700 bottles exist.

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino VV bursts from the glass with a mentholated freshness, as dusty dried flowers and red currants are offset by a mineral thrust of crushed ashen stone. This is soft and enveloping, yet nearly juicy in feel, with depths of dark wild berry fruit and exotic spices that slowly saturate. A twang of savory herbs and sour citrus defines the finale, balancing the grippy tannins that are left to linger, as the 2018 finishes classically dry under an air of rosy inner florals. This is, yet again, another excellent example of the energetic nature of the vintage, yet the VV also possesses the potential for medium-term cellaring.