2011 - Brunello di Montalcino, Azienda Agricola Salvioni La Cerbaiola

I absolutely love what the Salvioni family has created in this vintage. The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino La Cerbaiole is an unexpected wine. This beautiful expression shares very little with its peers. The wine achieves the signature style and elegance that is so unique to Salvioni despite the warm vintage. The results are ethereal and deep with classic aromas of dark fruits and spice. But the bouquet is unusual in that it also offers very sophisticated layers of pressed flowers, cloves, dusty mineral and grilled rosemary. The tannins are enormously silky and polished. Hats off to Salvioni.

The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is supple, open-knit and quite pretty. Sweet red cherry, plum, hard candy and white flowers are all super-expressive. This is an especially lifted, gracious Brunello from Salvioni. In 2011, it is the wine's silkiness and inner perfume that stand out. The 2011 is a gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next decade or so, but then again, these wines have a way of exceeding expectations in terms of their aging potential.

Herbal and very closed on the nose. Full, plush fruit on the palate that at first hides the acidity. Great precision and yet lots of extract and bitter-sweet, powdery tannins. Very long. Will need quite a bit of age. (WS)