2012 Brunello di Montalcino

Only a slight fading at the rim reveals the 10 years of maturity that the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino has undergone, yet from its bouquet-a brilliant mix of dusty rose, dried strawberries, plum skins, lavender and a hint of tobacco-you'd never know. "Ethereal is the word, as silken textures wash across the palate weightlessly, yet unleash an array of wild berry fruits, cloves, allspice and dried citrus that totally captivates. Still lightly tannic yet amazingly energetic, the 2012 tapers off potent and long, leaving nuances of licorice and a hint of balsamic spice that lingers on and on. There is no fear of decline here; in fact, it's still on the steady path of evolution, and collectors who have the 2012 Cerbaiona should consider themselves very lucky. It's a total charmer.

Dark ruby-red. Deep, complex aromas of dark red cherry, violet, flint, licorice and underbrush. Rich dense and juicy, with multilayered flavors of dark red cherry, tar and licorice. Smooth yet vibrant, this is much more austere and almost brooding in nature than the more open-knit 2011. Mar 2017, www.vinous.com, Drink: 2023-2035

Cerbaiona's 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is a nuanced and delicate wine that offers ample power, intensity and length. What the wine does best is paint a portrait of the grape in its most pure and naked state. It offers crisp outlines with loads of wild berry, blue flower and moist earth on the inside. That balanced ensemble of flavors adds to the long and polished persistence you feel in the mouth. Give this wine another 10 years of aging to best appreciate its slow evolution and budding complexity. Feb 2018, www.robertparker.com