The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino kicks off our last flight, and appropriately so. What a wine. Explosive, perfumed and layered, with staggering depth, the 2001 is unquestionably one of the most profound wines Gianfranco Soldera ever made. An exotic mélange of dark-toned fruit, lavender, sage and menthol gradually opens. The 2001 constantly changes in the glass, one of the markers of a truly great wine. Its resonant and energy are simply magnificent. All of those qualities build into a stunningly beautiful and sustained finish. I can’t ask for anything more.

I am fortunate to taste many of the world’s most iconic wines, but Soldera is a producer with whom I have scant experience. The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva from Soldera is blessed with a heart-stopping nose as if the aromas wrap their loving arms around your senses, so warm and inviting with its disarming pastille-like red fruit tinged with blood orange and bunches of violet, earthenware and lavender surfacing with time. Sensual saturated tannins, silky smooth in texture with astonishing depth, frame the palate. Perfectly balanced with a fresh and delineated finish that becomes Burgundian with time. This wine is clearly still in ascent after 22 years.

The bouquet in the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is both sweet and savory, showing masses of ripe cherries laced with autumnal spice, as a mix of sage and hints of rosemary develop. With a bit more time in the glass, a balsamic note keeps me coming back for more. It’s zesty, with brisk acidity front and center, ushering in citrus-tinged tart cherry and minerals, while teasing the senses with a layer of fine tannin, nearly masked by the Riserva’s unbridled energy and verve. This tapers off long and edgy, as notes of green melon combine with salty minerals and tart green apple-like acids that make the mouth water. There is no sign of decline here, in fact, it’s a wine that should continue to evolve for another decade or more. I do not expect such feminine beauty and energy in a mature bottle of Brunello Riserva, yet that is the message that the 2001 from Soldera communicates from start to finish. Tasted from a trusted collector's perfect cellar.

Truffley, distinctly agricultural (in the way of Sangiovese) nose. Very concentrated yet super-refreshing at the same time. Some saline quality. The acidity played games being rather prominent when the wine was first tasted, then it retreated for the main drinking period, and then returned about 40 minutes or an hour. Very slight dustiness on the finish and enormous zest. (JR)