In Search of Brunello di Montalcino´s Soul - Chapter XXIV

It has been a while since the last Brunello post, but fear not, I have not stopped drinking Brunello! It has just been the miscellaneous bottles with dinner over the last couple of weeks. Here they are gathered in one post.

2004 Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione
A young, seedy, fresh nose with notes of red cherries, licorice, thyme, violet pastills and a fine flowery scent. Keeps evolving all evening long. Notes of pine nuts and smoke emerges. This has a fine depth. Very, very good.
The taste is young, tight and seedy with fine sweet/sour cherries and notes of dried herbs, licorice, balsa wood and lingonberry bushes. Fresh acidity. A medium long, dry finish. This could use 4-6 years in the cellar and will surely become even better. The 1994 and 2006 was also terrific wines.
90p   (tasted 2013/04)

1998 Brunello di Montalcino, Il Fortèto
A deep, soft, mature nose with notes of sour cherries, licorice, autumn leaves, cigar ashes and dried thyme. A very fine warmth. Fully mature and beautifully soft and fine.
The taste is mature, taut and warm with notes of ripe morellos, licorice, gravel and dried herbs. A long fine finish with soft tannins. This is drinking perfectly now.
When I started this project I read a lot of articles and blog posts on how expensive Brunello are. And yes, some of the bottles I have bought have cost me a fistful of euros, but at the same time I have bought the likes of this bottle for 25 Euro - great quality and ready for prime time drinking - seems like all Brunello doesn´t have to be expensive.
89p   (tasted 2013/03)

1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Donatella Cinelli Colombini
A stunning, fine, expressive nose with gorgeous notes of dark cherry fruit, almond paste, rosehips, violets, dried flowers and sun warm tiles. Very deep and refined. Has started its way to maturity but isn´t really there yet. Lovely.
The taste is big, intense and fine with notes of sweet black cherries, warm gravel, violets, menthol cigarettes and a touch of dark chocolate. The finish is long and concentrated with a large dollop of polished tannins. A beautiful warmth in the finish. Great stuff! This should hit its peak in 4-5 years, and I would love to drink it again then. Almost as good as the 98 Prime Donne.
93p   (tasted 2013/03)

2007 Brunello di Montalcino, Caprili
This youngster opens rather ungainly and all over the place with notes of black cherries, new leather, spice, dark chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco and a deeply, rather sweet perfumed note - you know the kind of which some a bit older ladies drown themselves in... But - with air it becomes more focused and stringent, although the sweet aspect goes through the nose.
The taste is big, warm and spicy with notes of black cherries, sweet licorice, violets, summer flowers and some vanilla oak flavours. A long, warm finish. This needs time. There is a hint of corn sweetness, like a Jack Daniel feeling. A touch overblown, although there is a fruit quality here, that needs, at least, 6-8 years to be tamed. But I liked 06 much more.
85p   (tasted 2013/04)