2009 - Brunello di Montalcino, Pian dell'Orino

Good bright medium red. Captivating aromas of red cherry, violet, licorice and tobacco are complicated by a note of gunflint. Lush and sweet but with outstanding definition and lift to the flavors of raspberry, red cherry jelly, minerals and mocha. The juicy, long finish features smooth, sweet tannins that expand with air and repeating notes of red cherry and flint. A fleshier than usual style of Brunello for owners Jan Erbach and Caroline Pobizer, but this creamy, ripe wine is once again one of the handful of top wines of the Denominazione. In fact, Erbach told me he much prefers this wine to the wonderful '08 he made last year.

The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino opens to gorgeous floral tones that frame a darker core of dark fruit. The wine is extremely elegant, especially in the delicate way it puts forth its ethereal aromas of cola, licorice and grilled herb layer after layer. The palate delivers structure and good freshness. Drink: 2018-2028. Caroline Pobitzer and Jan Erbach run a tight ship at Pian dell’Orino. I had a chance to taste through barrels in their circular winery and it was here that I began to develop my happy expectations concerning the 2012 vintage. I also learned that this industrious couple who chose to live in Montalcino from distant lands (they fell in love here), had recently embarked on an ambitious mapping effort to delineate the four quadrants of the appellation according to soil and other factors. This is a project they started and funded on their own. I sincerely hope that the map they have produced leads to a greater dialogue on the need for recognized sub zones in Montalcino. Importer: Polaner Selections, www.polanerselections.com