2003 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

Casanova di Neri's 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova caresses the palate with plenty of silky-textured dark red cherries, plums, smoke, earthiness and sweet toasted oak. This polished modern-styled wine offers superb balance in a rich, weighty style that will find many admirers. The tannins are remarkably well-integrated, which is quite a feat in this vintage. To be sure, there isn't much of what could be called varietal character here but by any definition this is a beautiful wine on an absolute level. The Tenuta Nuova spent 30 months in 600-liter barrels, of which 35% were new. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019.||Properietor Giacomo Neri is excited about the 2003 vintage, which he believes has more potential than critics of the vintage have suggested, although he does think the wines are best suited to near- to mid-term consumption. Among recent vintages Neri cites 2004 and 2006 as those with the most potential. Still, at this level, it is truly the seriousness of the estate that prevails over vintage differences in determining the overall quality of the wines, as readers will be able to judge from these outstanding new releases. Wine Advocate.April, 2008