Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2004

Blackberries and blueberries on the nose. Full-bodied, with silky and racy tannins, as well as a hint of vanilla. Long and pretty. Very clean. Needs a little time to open. Best after 2010.

The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino, from the home vineyards in the northeastern part of Montalcino, dark in color, shows ample notes of wild cherries, plums, game and leather on the nose, much warmth and roundness on the palate, substance and length on the finish. Drink: 2005-2014.

Saturated ruby. Wild aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat, coffee and mocha, complemented by oak notes of coconut, mace and vanilla bean. Sweet, densely packed and primary, with very sweet but firm flavors of dark berries and dark chocolate. Very cleanly made and young, with obviously high-quality oak. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely lingering sweetness of fruit.

The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a big, fruit-driven wine. Made in a concentrated, opulent style, this Brunello offers tons of fruit and a round, soft personality. There isn't too much nuance in the wine today, but that should develop in bottle. The long, polished finish invites a second taste. For now, this remains one of the more overtly fruit-forward wines of the vintage. The entry-level Brunello spends roughly 40 months in large, neutral oak. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2019.

A Sangiovese Grosso wine from Tuscany in Italy. 2004 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 750ml

The 2004 Brunello di Montacino Tenuta Nuova reveals layers of dark perfumed fruit intermingled with French oak, spices, minerals, violets and licorice. The Tenuta Nuova is impressive mostly for its textural richness and sheer depth, both qualities it has in spades. The finish is long, sweet and pure. Here, too, the wine will need at least a few years in bottle before its full range of aromas and flavors emerges. Neri gave the Tenuta Nuova 30 months in medium-sized French oak tonneaux. Anticipated maturity: 2010andndash;2024.

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino is fabulous in this vintage. Waves of dark fruit caress the palate as this juicy, delicious wine reveals its considerable charms. The fruit shows lovely weight and richness while maintaining an essentially mid-weight personality. Sweet scents of French oak linger on the round, caressing, impeccable finish. This is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next decade-plus. The harvest took place from the 2nd to the 5th of October. The wine spent 24 days on the skins, after which it was racked into cask, where it spent 45 months prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.