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2018 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino

Removed from a professional wine storage facility

12 available
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Removed from a professional wine storage facility

Ends Sunday, 7pm Pacific

RATINGS

93The Wine Advocate

Dark plum and blackcurrant segue seamlessly to spice, tar and black earth. The fruit ripeness is opulent and contrasted against elegant acidity and polished tannins.

93Wine Spectator

Round, fleshy and succulent, exuding black cherry, blackberry, violet and rosemary flavors. This has a glycerol feel, fine balance and harmony, with a long, fruity, savory and minerally aftertaste. Combines power and energy.

93James Suckling

This has a pretty nose of dried roses, cocoa powder, red tea, hazelnut skins, cherries, plum stones and sandalwood. Full-bodied with very finely-knit tannins and zippy acidity. So much life and energy.

93Wine Enthusiast

The nose leans sweet, with notes of vanilla, cherry and cola, but undertones of citrus, cloves, fennel, salt and pepper playfully poke holes in that sweetness. On the palate, raspberries provide reinforcements, but polished tannins and aggressive acidity maintain balance.

90Vinous / IWC

...swirling unlocks further depths of dried cherries, mint leaf and worn leather...soft and round on the palate, with ripe red fruits and pretty floral tones offset by a twang of sour citrus.

90Jeb Dunnuck

...fragrant with cedar, vanillin spice, red plum, and clove. It is medium to full body, with tannins that turn to the more amaro spectrum quickly, with notes of turned potting soil and dried cherry pit...palate is savory and gripping with potential wood tannins that give the impression they will outlast the fruit.

15.5Jancis Robinson

Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Rather closed on the nose, but with marasca-cherry fruit, supple acidity and with soft, gravelly tannins on the palate.

REGION

Italy, Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello di Montalcino is regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is entirely Sangiovese. Montalcino itself is a picturesque, hill-top town not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine. Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.