Conti Costanti, Brunello di Montalcino 2015

After sitting out the 2014 vintage, Andrea Costanti calls 2015 a beautiful year and one of the best in the history of Brunello. He deemed it exceptional enough to craft a Riserva (to be released in 2021) yet his classic Brunello hasn't suffered for it. In fact, it's one of the greatest successes of the vintage. Gorgeous, seductive aromas are already expressive but still youthful. Cherry and plum are enveloped by exotic spice and a faint smokiness. The palate is plush and velvety with layers of powdery tannins that build, and tangy acid that cleanses the palate. Hedonistic but brilliantly balanced, it is hard to resist now but the best is definitely yet to come.

The Conti Costanti 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is vinous and ripe with lots of energy that comes from plummy black fruit and dried blackberry. The wine is front-loaded with those varietal tones, but the mouthfeel reveals a more delicate and softer approach than you might expect given the potency of that first nose. The wine achieves harmony, and offers a nice, long finish. The label states that fruit comes from the Colle al Matrichese, but I am not sure if that is an official estate vineyard designation. Either way, this is a serious cellar-worthy Brunello to sip and consider with a platter of fine cheeses.

Costanti's 2015 Brunello di Montalcino explodes from the glass with a classic display of leather, dusty earth, dried strawberries, and savory spice. On the palate, soft, silky textures usher in ripe red fruits, complemented by sweet spices and brisk acids, which create a pure, feminine expression, as hints of fine tannin slowly mount. The finish is medium in length, with just a slight tug of tannic heft. It captures the sun-kissed nature of the vintage wonderfully, and while the 2015 may not be a wine for the ages, it will provide quite a bit of pleasure with mid-term cellaring.