Brunello di Montalcino, Giodo 2019

Aromas of cedar, earth, tree bark, fruit tea, black tea and cherries. Then it turns to fresh and dried flowers. Medium to full body as it grows on the palate with superb fine tannins that run the length of the wine. It’s structured and powerful with great length. The acid, tannin balance is incredible. Very clear and transparent. What a wine. Drinkable but better in three or four years.

Tasted for a second time at the estate, and pouring a dark ruby/red color, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is complex and stunning on opening with continuously unfolding aromas of black raspberries, polished leather, sandalwood, blood orange, and rosemary. Raised in French oak barrels of various size, the palate is equally compelling with outstanding structure and is sustained on the palate for ages, with lush tannins and perfectly ripe acidity. While it is appealing and showing off now, it has tension for days and is exceptional, with a lot of purity, although it never lacks for richness. This is a truly remarkable wine amid a slew of successes in this phenomenal vintage.

When I tasted this wine with its maker, the celebrated enologist Carlo Ferrini, he told me that he put every last drop of love into the 2019 vintage. He believes it is the best wine he has made thus far at his relatively new Giodo project that started in 2009. Indeed, I would rank the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino as high as or even better than the best vintages made at this boutique estate. In my mind, they are 2010, 2016 and now 2019. This wine comes from a three-hectare plot with 19-year-old vines that are cared for obsessively. This amphitheater-shaped parcel called La Poderina is nestled deep within the forest on a steep slope that overlooks Monte Amiata in the distance. The soils are white in color with lots of rocks. This is a wine of depth and dimension, with vibrant energy, elegant balsamic notes and sweetly ripened fruit. The medium fruit weight is balanced against the wine's acidity and fine tannins. It ends with floral notes of violet and iris.

Made from 100% Sangiovese, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is medium garnet-purple in color. It soars from the glass with classic notions of dried cherries, tobacco leaf, and ripe redcurrants, followed by wafts of wild sage and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic red berry and mineral-inspired flavors with a racy backbone and grainy tannins, finishing with a real skip in its step.

So fragrant, like smelling perfume with such clarity and focus to the aromas; pink roses and fresh and ripe strawberries, such Sangiovese signature. Sharp and thrilling on the palate, lifted strawberry sweetness straight away with great acidity that keeps the freshness but the fruit is also cool and well presented. Tannins are fine and give a sleek frame. This is elegant and refined, a nice sense of completeness and energy. Bright, buzzy, sharp, clean, tangy and light on its feet. Totally drinkable and enjoyable, a touch sour with bite and bitterness on the finish, but altogether a great glass of wine with plenty to like. Ageing 30 months in 500, 700 and 2,500l oak casks followed by additional time in concrete vats and 18 months in bottle prior to release.

Plum with ruby reflections, this is deeply flavourful, suggesting careful extraction giving plenty of damson and sour plum character, fine but plentiful tannins, savoury tobacco and grilled meats, with floral edges, raspberry leaf and turmeric spice. Fragrant and full of quiet joy. From a vineyard set at 300m altitide, 30 months ageing followed by 18 months in bottle, south west fasting slppes; gravel and clay. Carlo Ferrini winemaker.

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino is hauntingly dark, with a cascade of dried violets, black cherries and cedar shavings complicated by hints of ash. It's velvety in feel yet cool-toned and spry, with radiant red berry fruits that ride a stream of vibrant acidity. While structured, its tannins are beautifully contoured, soft and round. The 2019 leaves a pleasantly bitter tinge of tart cranberry that tugs at the cheeks. This is a gorgeous performance and a new benchmark for Giodo.