Lots of elegance and vibrancy. Aromas of restrained blood oranges, peach peel, fresh red cherries, savory licorice, smoke, woodland and black olives. The palate is soft and silky with a full body, lifted acidity and a savory aftertaste. A sleek wine with fruit concentration and length. Drink or hold.

The nose opens with the lively tang of dried cherries, dried cranberries, blood orange and hibiscus, then anchors in damp earth and herbs. The fruit returns and sweetens on the palate, but that intensity of dried fruit lingers, even in the face of powerful currents of citrus and salinity.

The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva pours a more transparent shade of ruby and is lifted and inviting with aromas of wild strawberries, crushed flowers, herbes de Provence, and dusty earth. Elegant and floating on the palate, it's medium-bodied with a slightly leaner frame (which is to be expected in this vintage), but it remains fresh and seamless, with a delicate salty, mouthwatering feel and fine tannins. It's delightful to drink now or over the coming 7-8 years.