Last year, I had the good fortune to taste through a comprehensive retrospective of old vintages of Le Potazzine. One important lesson I learned from that experience is that this estate makes some of its best wines in the hot vintages. The vineyards are located in one of the coolest points of the appellation with south-facing rows planted 570 meters above sea level (which is much higher than its peers). However, the 2014 Brunello di Montalcino holds its own despite its cool vintage DNA. This edition is visibly thinner in appearance with bright ruby hues followed by crimson highlights. The results are extremely streamlined and tight. This wine plays its cards very close to the chest. With a little extra time in the glass, it opens slowly to reveal wild berry, blueberry, bitter almond, licorice and dried rose petal. There are mild highlights of smoke or ash. Fermented with indigenous yeast, the wine ages in large oak casks for three years. Some 10,000 bottles were made. This will will appeal to those who appreciate the fine and graceful side of Sangiovese, however this expression is also reasonably friendly and accessible for medium-term drinking.

Medium bright red. Sexy red berries, sweet herbs and spices on the almost Pinot Noir-like nose. Supple and quite dry, with lively if slightly metallic flavors of red berries, herbs and spices showing energy but only moderate carry-through on the back end. This politely styled Brunello is more about aromas and juiciness than fleshy texture. The clean, precise finish is mineral-accented and vibrant. Drink up sooner rather than later while your 2011 Riserva, 2012 and 2013 Le Potazzine Brunellos lie dormant in your cellars.

The 2014 Brunello di Montalcino shows darker and richer than you’d expect, as ginger-spiced cookie, a dusting of confectioner’s spice, plums and hints of smoke evolve in the glass. Its textures are soft, even a bit fleshy, with a mix of hazelnut and sour cherry. A staining of herbal-tinged fruits and tea lingers long, as this tapers off with a buzz of residual acids and only lightly structured. Only 9,000 bottles of Brunello were produced in the difficult 2014 vintage; the other 22,000 went into the Rosso di Montalcino.