1988 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

I would have rated this wine even higher if it had not been for a whiff of lees in the wine's otherwise noteworthy bouquet. The modestly-saturated ruby/garnet color is followed by a big, spicy, smoky, herb, and red fruit-scented nose. This full-bodied, superbly balanced, concentrated wine is soft for a Brunello, high in alcohol, with loads of cedary, tobacco, and curranty-flavored fruit. Approachable, but capable of lasting for 15 more years, this is an impressively rich, spicy, smoky style of Brunello di Montalcino. Importer: a Marc di Grazia Selection, Michael Skurnick Wines, Westbury, NY.