Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli 2012 75cl

Rather sweet due to the super ripe vintage. But there's also great subtlety, enormous depth and a ton of tannin behind the opulence. The super long finish is incredibly focused. Try to wait until at least 2020. This stunning Brunello has decades of life ahead of it.

Here's a beautifully rich and succulent Brunello that drinks very nicely straight out of the gate. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli delivers a warm, inviting and velvety presentation. This bold wine is redolent of black cherry and dried blackberry with sweet almond, toasted spice and balsam herb on the long finish. What stands out most, however, is the wine's rich texture that floods the mouth from front to back. That richness is fueled by the warmth of the vintage but also by the magnificent oak integration. This Riserva is aged in botti grandi for four long years. Bottle production is 45,000 strong.

Rich and evocative of cherry, currant, mineral, spice and tobacco flavors, this tightly knit red is harmonious and solidly built. Remains vibrant and persists on the mineral-inflected aftertaste. Fine length. Best from 2023 through 2038. From Italy.—B.S