Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Score

96

"Dense aromas of ripe berries, dried cherries, spicy bark and hints of orange rind follow through to a medium to full body with fine, firm tannins that are coated with fresh, spicy and citrusy notes that linger long. Well balanced acidity provides even greater length. Best after 2023."

Score

97+

"The Uccelliera 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (with 9,600 bottles made) is a great achievement and is among my top favorite wines from Andrea Cortonesi tasted in the 20 or so years I have followed this estate. There is a lot of power here, thanks to that golden Castelnuovo dell'Abate sunshine, so I cannot liken this wine to some of the more ethereal and delicate expressions that I also love. Instead, this Riserva delivers brawn, dark fruit and muscle, but it does so with sincerity and honesty. You can't help but appreciate the complexity on offer. The wine offers plenty of dark fruit, but you also get licorice, balsam herb and crushed limestone. There is a lot of beauty to admire."

Score

92

"The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows the sun-kissed nature of the vintage in its bouquet, wafting up with masses of ripe cherry, strawberry and sweet spice. However, it takes on a much more austere character from there on out. It’s silky and refined, boasting wonderfully pure red berry fruits and pretty inner florals; yet it quickly firms up, flexing its structural muscle with cheek-puckering tension. Subtle hints of balsamic, cedar and wild herbs linger on the long and almost-chewy finale. While I love the 2015 Riserva for its upfront personality, the extended time spent in wood takes away some of the magic found in the straight Brunello. That said, give this a few years to unwind in the cellar, and enjoy it over the short term."

Score

96

"Some rather brash spicy oak aromas sit across ripe dark cherries and leafy nuances. The palate has a smooth and even-paced feel to it. Good depth of ripe dark cherry flavors. A really long and succulent finish. This has much to offer. Try from 2022."

Score

95

"The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a dark and brooding Sangiovese that flaunts its depth, sophistication and balanced weight. The fruit is thick and powerful, and the wine's textural richness is polished and beautiful. The wine goes through alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel and then ages in both small and large oak vessels for three years. Only 7,000 bottles were made."

Score

95

"Offers a balance of cherry and berry fruit, savory wild herb and balsamic notes and leather and tobacco details, all matched to a firm, harmonious structure. Juicy, building to a long, energetic finish. Best from 2021 through 2035. 600 cases made, 300 cases imported. "

Score

90+

"Good full red. Red cherry, violet and allspice on the nose. Aromas of blackberry syrup, balsamic oils, licorice and tar. Fat and ripe on entry, then tough and austere in the middle, showing tobacco and herb nuances and not much fruit in the mouth. The broad finish offers a noteworthy tannic spine and a restrained sweetness of fruit. A big, structured wine that will likely need more time, but this is tough going right now. 15% alcohol."