Nicolas Belfrage: Medium bright with distinct oranging. Herb and spice as well as subtle fruit on the palate, multifaceted and equipped for the long haul, with all kinds of aromas—fruit, flower, herb—hinted at. A wine of finesse, not typical of 2011 but representative of what’s best in Brunello. 96

Bruno Besa: Garnet to tawny. A complex nose of spices and cedar wood, with pine resin and small red fruits. Medium to full body, with balanced tannins and a clean, restrained, red-fruit finish. Good effort, well made and restrained. 83

Andrew Jefford: Clear, translucent garnet red. Relatively dry and restrained scents that need a lot of swirling to dislocate. Very sober and classical: the measured tread through the ancestral woodlands. Perhaps I feel it should give just a little more... but finesse, finesse, finesse, yes it is here. On the palate, this is very good indeed, though stylistically very different from many of its peers: The acidity has the upper hand over extracts and tannins, the fruit has been chafed into secondary expression already, and it is seamless and fine and long. But it has a warmth and a glow to it within that concentrated profile that is commanding and irresistible—a wonderfully grave yet resonant and commanding wine. You can only sip this: larger mouthfuls would be lèse-majesté. 96