2017 Ferrero Brunello di Montalcino

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino bursts up from the glass with a perfumed display of raspberries, sweet spice, chalky minerals and crushed violets. This is rich and potent, delivering masses of fleshy red and black berry fruits that drench the palate, yet balance is well-maintained by salty minerals and bright acids. Fine tannins make themselves known through the finale, as the 2017 becomes savory and almost smoky, with purple-tinged inner florals that linger on. This reminds me more of an old-vines Spanish Mencia than a Brunello, but there is much pleasure to be found here. (EG)