2020 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino

Immense, sober and timeless elegance to indulge in little by little. The rigorous, territorial, aromatic framework leaves room for a well-balanced gustative texture between mature tannins and balsamic freshness. The 380-450m-high vineyards extend over about 15ha, mainly around the winery's nucleus, on the north-eastern slope of the Montalcino hillside. (AP

Smoky woodland, dried flowers and earthy notes, then cherries and red berries. Full of licorice root, too. The layered fruit profile follows through to a medium-bodied palate with additional, toasty flavors. The firm, velvety tannins show a slightly austere grain on the finish, yet balanced by the fruit and acidity. A powerful wine with lots of character.

Graceful and elegant yet tightly corseted, the 2020 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino is a study in Tuscan finesse. Cherries, plum compote, nutmeg, sandalwood, and black tea lead into a brown sugar-tinged finish--not sweet but beautifully layered, heartwarming, and utterly satisfying.

This is just such a great wine, and after opening up all day long it's really so accessible and approachable, I'm sure it just needs a healthy decant and a few hours to really hit its stride. This has power, but is more a wine defined by elegance and grace, there's a lot of fruit but it's a little more nuanced and subtle, like a really creative blend that you can't quite put your finger on because it works together so well nothing really jumps out, but there's red and black fruits there and then a little bit of roundness, but the spice is all from the grape. The palate is almost silky if the tannin wasn't just a touch too present for that, but it still has a really luxurious and defined sort of mouthfeel with pretty cherry around the edges of the palate and dusky dusty fruit in the midst, something that brings together the experience of being in oak but nothing very new or smaller format is how it comes across, the reality of which I don't know and wouldn't really change anything in this review. This is kind of definitive Brunello di Montalcino and something that you have to treat yourself to if you love Italian wine.