1997 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
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Tasting notes
The 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva may not hit the heights of the remarkable 1997 regular bottling, but it is still a fascinating wine. Its deep garnet color is accompanied by a big, sweet nose of melted asphalt, truffles, soy, tobacco, leather, and glorious quantities of red currant and black cherry fruit. Dense, ripe, layered, and sweet, it may not be as exuberant as the regular bottling, but it is a brilliant effort nevertheless. This is one 1997 Brunello that lives up to the vintage's reputation. Anticipated maturity: now-2015. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700; and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Saturated ruby-red. Bright, pure aromas of cassis, licorice and bitter chocolate. Juicy and sweet, with an almost liqueur-like flavor of cassis pastille. Wonderfully dense and thick but with great clarity and harmony and already showing captivating inner-mouth perfume. Compelling building finish features melting tannins buried in fruit. A standout of the vintage. This seems even more youthful than my memory of the basic 1997 bottling. A relative Brunello bargain, if you can find it in the retail marketplace.