La Magia Vigna Ciliegio Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Ciliegio Italy 2018 (14.50% ABV) – 88.7
BB | Garnet to pink. Ripe, complex, earthy, herbal, red- and black-cherry nose, with an intense yet inviting character. Medium- to full-bodied, clean palate, with red fruit and a long, mineral, crushed-stone, Mediterranean-herb finish. 92
MP | The nose is obvious, sporting somewhat tired aromatics of stewed plum, candied red fruit, wet stone, black pepper, and a dusty, stewed note of forest floor and damp leaves. The palate simply fails to lift the bar and it's precocious, developed, and faintly woody, with a rich vein of alcohol highlighting the absence of real fruit. 88
AJ | Clear, deep red-black, though bright and clear. There's a mushroomy closeness to the earthy complexities here, as well as some wood spices; quite rich and enticing, but well into its secondary stage. Vanillins also. Gosh—lots of very ripe fruit, and surely new oak; lots of oak tannins. A Brunello that glances across at Rioja. It's a bit much for me, in truth, though if you like this flamboyant, gutsy, ten-gallon-hat style, it is done with some style and conviction. 86