2008 Brunello di Montalcino

One of the clear highlights of the vintage, the 2008 Brunello di Montalcino emerges from the glass with black cherries, violets, cloves, menthol, licorice and tar. The 2008 stands out for its impeccable balance and layered, highly expressive personality. A translucent, mid-weight, silky finish is totally striking. Once again, Fuligni made one of the more refined wines of the village. In 2008 there is no Riserva. All the best of the lots made it into the straight bottling. If I had to bet on a 2008 Brunello that might surprise on the upside in a few years Fuligni would be near or at the top of my list.

One of the clear highlights of the vintage, the 2008 Brunello di Montalcino emerges from the glass with black cherries, violets, cloves, menthol, licorice and tar. The 2008 stands out for its impeccable balance and layered, highly expressive personality. A translucent, mid-weight, silky finish is totally striking. Once again, Fuligni made one of the more refined wines of the village. In 2008 there is no Riserva. All the best of the lots made it into the straight bottling. If I had to bet on a 2008 Brunello that might surprise on the upside in a few years, Fuligni would be near or at the top of my list. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023+. Proprietor Roberto Guerrini describes 2008 as a fairly normal year, with a regular flowering and a hot summer. The harvest started around September 20 and lasted a week. In addition to these new releases, I also tasted a number of wines from tank and barrel, the most promising of which are the 2012s, which are absolutely glorious today. Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900

Bottled in June 2012. Medium ruby with darker core and orange rim. Undergrowth and hints of liquorice, but doesn’t give away much otherwise. Very compact and unwilling on the palate too. Very fine aromatic finish with soft raspberry notes. Freshness and very stylish, bold tannins. Very young and needs more time to truly open up. (WS)