The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille is darker and richer than the Rennina. Black cherries, plums, tar, licorice, minerals and leather all come together in this brooding Brunello. The fruit remains intense and full-bodied all the way through to the powerful and deeply satisfying close. Despite the wine’s heft, all of the components are woven together with remarkable harmony. This is a wonderful effort from Angelo Gaja. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026. (Antonio Galloni)

Shows aromas of citrus fruit, with raspberry and blackberry. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Very well-structured, with a hint of new wood on the finish. Long and balanced. Still needs time. The best wine ever from this estate. Best after 2011. 1,800 cases made. –JS

Deep, bright red. Nose initially shows dark berries, chocolate and sweet oak but opens with air to reveal redder fruits and flowers that carry through onto the palate. Big, chewy and rich yet with an almost magically light touch, with terrific concentration and energy to the highly concentrated flavors. A distinctly powerful style of Brunello, finishing quite broad, with sappy, saline energy, superb drive and firm, mouthcoating tannins.

The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille reminds me of walking into a bakery at daybreak, as all of the aromas of fresh breads and pastries slowly rise, blending in a mix of confectioner’s spices and, behind it all, a core of tart raspberry preserve that would be used for the center of the day’s Linzer tarts. Here I’m finding soft, fleshy textures, nicely lifted by a core of brisk acids, with mineral-tinged black fruits and florals that amass toward the close. While the 2004 doesn’t have the follow-through you’d expect from its bouquet, it tapers off lightly structured and long, with inner rose tones that linger on.