Caprili Brunello di Montalcino 2020

Bright jeweled ruby in color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is flush with pure aromas of candied flowers, cherry lozenge, pine needles, and blood orange. Medium-framed, it's ripe and pure on the palate, with refreshing energy, a very balanced feel, wonderfully refreshing salinity, and well-defined tannins. I love this vintage for Caprilli, and although this is showing off today, it should age with ease over the coming 20 years. In a second tasting, I was even more impressed with this wine, which has a lot of clarity and balance. Bravo.

The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino reveals the dark side of Sangiovese, with more black fruit than red. A mass of crushed stone minerality blows off to reveal spiced orange peels and incense. It's silken and round, with a polished core of ripe blackberries offset by a tinge of sour citrus toward the close. It leaves the cheeks puckered with tension as edge tannins resonate and hints of licorice fade slowly.

The Caprili 2020 Brunello di Montalcino delivers a rather robust fruit profile with blackcurrant and blackberry preserves. That initial intensity ties into black licorice (of the candied variety), sweet spice and fragrant incense. This is an open-knit Brunello with velvety, medium-grained tannins to support a pairing with lamb or pork. You don't need to wait too long to enjoy this wine. 47,000 bottles were released.

Cherry, blood orange, earth and sanguine notes are matched to a lively structure that drives the flavors. Dusty tannins seep in as this plays out on the finish, leaving an echo of ripe red fruit. Overall, this is balanced and long, if not that showy. Drink now through 2040. 4,000 cases made, 2,700 cases imported.