The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is gorgeous. Vibrant and alive in the glass, the 2010 is impeccable in its balance. Sweet red cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco and Mediterranean herbs are some of the notes that are laced together in a Brunello of exquisite beauty. Rose petal, mint and a host of floral/savory notes develop in the glass. The expansive, broad finish is a thing of beauty. The very best qualities of the year come through loud and clear in a mysterious, seductive Brunello that will provide fabulous drinking over the next 20-30 years. What a fabulous and noble wine the 2010 is.

What a tightly knit wine this is with so much fabulous character of dried meat, orange peel, berry and spice. Dried and dusty earth too. Full body, sweet fruit character and ripe tannins but loads of structure and intensity. Structurally intense and dry at the finish. It goes on for minutes. Best ever. Better in 2018.

Mastrojanni's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino marks a gorgeous effort that excels beautifully in terms of intensity, finesse and balance. The wine shows seamless integration of bright fruit tones that are characteristic of the vintage, with savory spice (it is aged in botte grande for three years), tight tannins and bright acidity. In other words, this is textbook 2010 Brunello in all its glory. That sense of harmony is impeccable. The best asset is what the future will bring. You can count on this Brunello to age 10 to 20 years. Mastrojanni has reached new heights with this stellar base Brunello and I can't wait to taste the vineyard-designate expressions when they are ready.

Full bottle 1,346 g. Transparent, shaded ruby. Heady nose, rich palate. Very complex on the palate. Very persistent. No point in keeping this much longer as it tastes as though it's about to dry out. (JR)