Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino Italy 2018 (15% ABV) – 91.3
BB | Ruby to garnet. Open, farmyard, rustic nose, with some red and black fruit. Medium-bodied, slightly dilute on the palate and finish. 85
MP | A fully mature example of 2018 Brunello, with smoky, toasty aromas and a tertiary character of dark chocolate, wet stone, coffee grounds, nutmeg, black cherry, plum, blueberry, licorice, clove, and cinnamon. The palate is expansive, and the tannins and acidity are balanced by ripe notes of Christmas cake, cooked plum, prune, and fig. Five years in bottle will see this firing on all cylinders. 97
AJ | Clear black-red. Bottle one: aromatically compromised. Bottle two: brooding and reserved, but with good things hidden away: earth, a plumpness of fruit, and more richness and resource than the best of its peers. Dense, deep, full, concentrated and sturdy. A very masterful wine, but a very rewarding one, too, with a much tighter weave and knit than most of its peers. Super grip, fine acidity, remarkable retronasal aromas... though there is a little rawness in here, too. No idea where it comes from, other than that the vintage has delivered many awkwardnesses, for some reason. 92