2018 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura (with 51,200 bottles made) shows balance and ripeness with a good combination of cherry, wild plum, blue flower, tobacco and sweet earth. The outlier is the 15% alcohol content. The wine is generous in texture and scope, yet it ultimately feels light and accessible to the palate. The tannins are well managed, but the wine's ample fruit weight feels supple and rich. These glass bottles are on the heavy side, with 51,200 of them released.

The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura wafts up from the glass with an exotic blend of steeped black cherries and plums offset by minty herbs and hints of pine. This is round and energetic on the palate, with mineral-tinged wild berries accelerated by vibrant acidity. A web of fine tannins clamp down hard through the finale, coupled with a bitter tinge of balsamic spice that creates an achingly tense sensation that lingers on. There’s certainly enough structure to carry the 2018 in the cellar, but I feel its fruit won’t be up to the task of keeping pace.

Mid to deep ruby. Brooding richness on the nose and with a suggestion of stalks. Sweet fruit with dark, slightly drying tannins, but clearly with more substance than the straight Brunello. (WS)