The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is spicy and intense, wafting up with a wild mix of sweet herbs, cloves, dried citrus peels and crushed red plums. This is darkly elegant and refined, with polished red and black fruits elevated by hints of lavender and mint; yet beneath, a web of fine tannins slowly saturates the palate. Hints of cranberry and tangerine mingle with lavender through the long and structured finale, as the 2018 finishes beautifully balanced and classic in feel. With maturity, this may deserve an even higher score.

Casanova di Neri’s ‘white label’ is crafted from the estate’s vineyards in Montalcino’s northeast. The 2017 edition also sees grapes from Cerretalto included, which is usually bottled separately. It emerges slowly, giving scents of violets, yellow broom and mint. The palate is currently a bit angular but the core reaches deep. It hints promisingly at cherry, clay, iron and graphite. An intriguing, intricate expression with noteworthy freshness. Give this a year to flesh out.

Here's a treat from Casanova di Neri. Aged in tonneaux for 30 months, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova is fleshed out and rich with pretty layers of dark fruit, dried blackberry, spice and cured tobacco. There is a point of sour cherry in this vintage that folds into crushed flower, balsam herb, licorice and crushed stone. The bouquet is classic, but the Casanova di Neri magic touch comes through thanks to the wine's balance and pretty intensity. I can't, however, overlook a powerful 15% alcohol content that leaves its mark. This is a production of 67,740 bottles.

There is more depth to the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova, with light smoky earth, black cherry, licorice, and black pepper. It is polished with fresh crunchy fruit yet retains a good amount of concentration, with notes of black raspberry, turned fresh soil, and graphite. Mouthwatering, with salinity, fresh acidity, and great length, it has fine tannins and warming spice on the finish. Drink 2024-2044.

Wow. Incredible purity and transparency with cherries, bark, mushroom, flower and slate/stone on the nose. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with a fine tannin structure that runs the length of the wine and goes on forever. The polish, elegance and grace is breathtaking. Power with agility. A revelation for the 2016 vintage in Brunello. Drink in 2024 and onwards but wonderful to taste now.

The 2018 Pietradonice, a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from the south-east of Montalcino, is dark as it grumbles up from the glass, showing dusty rose, currents, cherries and smoke. This is velvety in feel yet wonderfully lifted and fresh, steadily building in tannic heft yet packed full of graphite-like mineral-tinged black fruits and dark inner florals. A hint of sour citrus keeps you coming back for more even as the Pietradonice flexes its structural heft. Give the 2018 five to seven years before attempting to enjoy the full potential buried within.

The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Giovanni Neri is a relatively new addition to the range from the southeast in Sesta. It pours a rich ruby hue, with aromas of perfumed red raspberry, herbes de Provence, wild strawberry, and a light note of cinnamon. It offers elegance and purity, with a refined texture, vibrant red berries, and beautiful notes of fresh blood orange, tea leaf, a fine tannic structure. and. This is a vintage with a lot of finesse as well as a more transparent nature that is refreshing. Drink 2024-2044.

A bright, fruity style, this red offers cherry, strawberry, currant, white pepper and mineral flavors.  Reveals almond and earth accents as this extends on the finish.  Features fine balance and mouthwatering length.  Best from 2025 through 2042.