2004 Podere la Vigna Brunello di Montalcino (Pre-Arrival)

95 points Wine Spectator: "Sweet blackberry and cherry aromas, with a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and chewy tannins. There's a lot underneath this wine. Huge density. Wonderful balance. Best wine ever from this small and serious producer. Best after 2012. 1,085 cases made." (Web only, 2009) 90 points Wine Enthusiast: "You get a mouthful here: clove, spice, balsam tones, cola, eucalyptus and black fruit all come pouring out of the glass. The wine boasts an immediate and vertical rush on the senses that leaves long and lingering impressions of smoked bacon and fennel seed." (06/09) 3.5 stars from K&L's Italian wine buyer, Greg St. Clair: "A deep brooding nose full of dense fruit eases slowly out of the glass with more black fruit, though it's not quite distinguishable. On the palate, the powerful tannins are tinged with a hint of iron that gives a certain tang to the fruit. Boldly and dramatically structured, this is a powerful wine. I wrote about it a number of times in my notes, beckoning me to try it again. The lushness of the fruit began to well up in the middle of the tannins, making the palate warm slightly before it begins to shudder from the intensity. Impressively structured, this wine is definitely a candidate for the cellar." Wine is due 12/31/2009