Mate, Brunello Montalcino Riserva

Mate, Brunello Montalcino RiservaThis is elegant and full of lively cherry, strawberry, rose, sanguine and iron flavors. Solidly built and well integrated, with a long, dusty finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. 192 cases made, 90 cases imported.

I allowed this 24 hours of air and it remained reduced and I am always wary of wines that don’t clean up with extended air

with well-integrated tannins

This is terrific and should age accordingly as it’s very firm and compact

More moderate though hardly invisible wood serves as a less than neutral backdrop for the very pretty red currant

in other words

There is a hint of herbal tea present on the more deeply pitched nose of dark currant

On this night

but the purity of the fruit is impossible to miss even at this early stage

The 2013 vintage is characterized by a slightly more streamlined mouthfeel (which isn't saying much given the baseline enormity of these wines) with carefully etched aromas of black cherry

Then it cooled off

it is better drunk within eight years of the vintage

tea leaves