($60) Deep red. Brooding aromas of dark cherry, plum, date and roasted coffee. Sweet, ripe and broad but not heavy; very suave and aromatic in the mouth, with good verve. A firmly structured wine that finishes with ripe but serious tannins, an impression of elevated alcohol and very good length. Late notes of leather, game and minerals add nuance. (Marc de Grazia; importers include Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; and Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael, CA)

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Big casks only. 14.5 per cent. Quite diffuse, 'wild' aromas of herbs and undergrowth. Very sweet palate entry - chock full of flavour and with one of the most exotic ranges of different flavours already. There's a strange delicacy about this too. Very good!

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The stylish, cask-aged 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens with a floral, aromatic nose followed by sweet, perfumed red fruit that blossoms onto the palate with notable expansiveness in a superb display of finesse and elegance, closing with fine, supple tannins. Though tempting to drink today, it will be even better in a few years and will drink well to age twenty. It is one of the vintage's great wines.

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This is gorgeous with seductive cedar, tobacco, berry and Indian spices on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a tobacco, coffee and berry aftertaste. Refined. 4,000 cases made.

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A tale of two wines. By itself, the wine has a molasses component with some red fruits evident. With food, a totally different experience. With pasta and red sauce, the wine morphed into red licorice, cassis, bright red fruits, and a touch of soy. Clearly better with food. Without food: 92 pts. With food: 97 pts.