2017 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Col d'Orcia

Variegated and complex, redolent of red and citrus fruits, spices and tobacco; on the palate it's rich and powerful, nicely balancing fruit and close-knit, sleek tannins, finishing long.

A chewy and powerful Brunello with lots of ripe tannins and slightly dried fruit character. ItÆs full and layered with a big finish. A little raw, but should soften with age. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2024.

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with a dusty display of cherry, wild berries, crushed stone and savory herbs. This is silky and elegant in feel, offering balanced acidity matched by masses of tart red and black berry fruits, along with firming tannins. It's long, rich and dark with haunting inner florals, but also a surprisingly classic structure. Despite a 30% loss of producetion in 2017, Col d'Orcia made a balanced and highly enjoyable Brunello.

Subtle aromas of underbrush, new leather, tobacco and camphor waft out of the glass. Tightly knit and full bodied, the palate features dried cherry, star anise and ground clove framed in rather assertive, close-grained tannins. Drink 2024û2029.

Made with certified organic fruit, the Col d'Orcia 2017 Brunello di Montalcino definitely shows some of the heat of the vintage, and I think this impression is reinforced by the location of this property on the southern side of the appellation, where temperatures are normally a few degrees higher on average. The winemaking team at this historic estate is not deterred by hot vintages, and their winemaking protocol captures the freshness and brightness of Sangiovese nonetheless. In fact, the alcohol content here measured 14.5%, which is almost contained, compared to some other wines in this report from cooler subzones. A learned comfort with organic farming is key to this wine's detailed aromas of black cherry, crushed rose and Mediterranean herb.

"Top 100 wines of 2022" - Wine Spectator // This red offers plenty of cherry, strawberry, wild thyme and sage flavors. Starts out on the elegant side, before chewy tannins kick in and show a more robust character. Balanced and long, with tobacco and earth accents on the finish. Best from 2025 through 2042.

Concentrated mid ruby. Slumbering nose showing depth with aeration. Supple, juicy fruit with bags of gravelly tannins. Lots of juice and perfumed fruit on the finish but still embryonic and a little tannic right now, but truly well balanced and complex, textural and tactile on the finish.

The 2017 Brunello Di Montalcino is generous with cherry lozenge, Mediterranean herbs, lavender, and scorched mineral earth, and it is full-bodied, with black cherry, tea leaf, turned soil, and charred rosemary. The palate is full and generous, with ripe yet present tannins, notes of plum, blackberry, and cedar, light smokiness on the finish. Drink 2024-2040.