2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva remains dark and brooding, with a deep ruby color and a bouquet that mixes red currants and spiced herbal tea with black raspberries, smoke and worn leather. It coasts across the palate with an elegant wave of ripe red and black fruits, accentuated by exotic savory spices with a balsamic tinge toward the close. It’s lightly grippy yet incredibly long, full of zesty nuances of citrus, along with plum skins and earth tones that seem to linger on and on. Today, the 2012 Riserva is flat-out stunning and open for business, yet with the power and structure to last another decade. (EG)
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Plenty of dark cherry essence, blackberry pie, a touch of plum liqueur, baking spices, charcuterie, resin and dried herbs. The palate echoes the richness of the nose with no shortage of dried-fruit flavors, while also embracing tightly wound tannins and a streak of refreshing acidity. Drink in 2020.
Sporting a medium dark color, the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is the most robust and powerful wine among these new releases from Altesino. More than its Riserva status (that requires an extra year of aging compared to base Brunello), that richness is a result of the dry and hot 2012 growing season. You really feel the tightness, blackness and the alcohol of the fruit here. By the way, the alcohol is 15%, so it is indeed high for Sangiovese. There is a note of cherry sweetness on the close. Thankfully, there is also enough natural acidity to bring the wine back to center and balance. But the overall complexity is diminished in favor of muscle and brawn.
Deep ruby with orange tinges. Lifted, rich red-cherry and strawberry-jam nose. Hints of dried fruit and bags of strawberry and cherry fruit on the palate. Opulent and with bags of ripe tannins that are still unsettled. (WS)
About the producer
Altesino is one of the top producers in Brunello di Montalcino. The estate is famous for bottling the first separate Cru from the Montosoli hill, which has since become widely recognised for its distinct, elegant style of Brunello.