2020 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep ruby. Pure, concentrated red fruit and sweet raspberry nose that is still not entirely open. Hints of black pepper. Compact cherry and raspberry-fruit palate and still embryonic. Really fine yet still austere fruit filled with finely ground tannins Very long and focused but far from ready. Real potential for ageing here, which it also needs. (WS)

The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino clocks in at 14.4% alcohol, the highest alcohol level ever achieved at the winery. It's also the most concentrated wine Andrea Costanti has ever produced, boasting high levels of dry extract and polyphenols, all balanced by a significant 5.8 grams per liter of residual acidity. This is a vibrant and complex effort, bursting with aromas of crushed cherries, autumnal spices, cedar and dried blood oranges. It's juicy and concentrated on the palate, with layers of tart red berries and crunchy mineral tones. Bracing acidity adds a lively, spicy edge while it finishes long and resonant, with sweet-and-sour notes and lingering hints of licorice. This will undoubtedly benefit from further aging.

The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is intense and exotic, bursting from the glass with a wild blend of crushed cherries, autumnal spices, cedar and dried blood orange. This is juicy upon entry with depths of tart red berry fruits that drench the palate in primary concentration. A whiplash of acidity adds a spicy sensation toward the close. It tapers off with a sweet and sour concentration, leaving edgy tannins to resonate and the mouth watering for more as hints of licorice slowly fade. This wild child will need some time to come fully into focus. Andrea Costanti commented that the 2020 is the most concentrated wine he's ever produced from the perspective of dry extract and polyphenols, all balanced by 5.8 grams per liter of residual acidity. It also finished at 14.4% alcohol (the highest ever here).