Mocha, black cherries, raspberry jam, smoke, menthol and spices meld together in the 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto. This is a distinctly ripe style of Brunello with tons of inner perfume as well as discernible sweetness. Today, my sense is that the fruit will fade before the huge, incisive tannins start to soften.

The 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto is one of those wines that is just born young. When I first tasted it on release, the wine showed immediately accessible characteristics of wild berry fruit and spice, lavished over a streamlined mouthfeel. Not much has changed since then. This vintage has maintained that sense of youthfulness and overall accessibility. The tannins are sweet and balanced against the wine's inner fruit flavors. This expression of Cerretalto has fewer hidden dimensions. Instead, it is a frank and upfront Brunello.

Dark red. Ripe dark cherry and plum aromas are initially a bit sullen but slowly gain freshness with air, picking up espresso, dark chocolate, tea leaf, clove and flint qualities. Broad and fleshy, offering pungent dark red cherry, candied plum and floral flavors, with bitter chocolate adding grip. Finishes long and gently oaky, with the coffee quality repeating.