2001 Brunello di Montalcino Altero

The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Altero is the estate's more modern Brunello. A saturated ruby, it offers an expressive, perfumed nose along with nuances of scorched earth, toasted oak, licorice and sweet dark fruit in a richly concentrated, expansive style. This deeply-flavored Brunello will require a few years to integrate and should drink well for at least another decade. Extended aeration is not suggested with this wine, however. Tasted alongside the regular bottling a day after opening, the Altero was less impressive than it was the day before, while the regular bottling was still developing positively. Anticipated maturity

Deep, bright red-ruby. Primal aromas of blackberry, licorice, mocha, iron and game, with a distinctly wild, reduced aspect. Sweet, intensely flavored and gripping. This expands impressively toward the back while maintaining its shape. A wine of penetrating sweetness and terrific extract. Firmly tannic on the dense, palate-coating finish but the tannins are a bit sweeter than those of the normale