2004 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Charming with sweet fruit and chewy tannins, ready to drink now but will improve after four to five years in the cellar.
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This has attractive earthy and woody complexity, across some dark plums and berries. Wild herbs and dried flowers, too. This is complex. The palate has ripe and succulent fruit at its core with a fresh surge of fruit and spice into the finish. Great balance and depth. Drink now to 2023.
Violets, cherries, floral, spice. High acid, moderate tannins. A mite underwhelming; good, but there's not enough grandeur. (RH)
The estate's single-vineyard 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura is considerably richer and darker than the regular bottling. Smoke, tar, new leather and French oak lead to wild black cherries and licorice. The fruit boasts tons of depth and concentration, but the tannins suggest elements of over-extraction. Still, the 2004 Poggio alle Mura is impressive wine, and one can only imagine what might be possible with this site if the winemaking were a little less heavy-handed.