Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2007

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See Walter's feisty introduction to his two recent Brunello tastings and his notes on 130 2008 Brunellos. The tasting notes below represent the first comprehensive look at 2007 Brunello Riservas from this particularly ripe vintage. A full 87 wines are reviewed.

The image is of the Benedictine abbey of Sant'Antimo in the south of the Montalcino zone which gives its name to a DOC whose extent is identical to that of Brunello di Montalcino and officially allows international varieties.

Wines are listed alphabetically by producer (sur)name.

Barbi, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Mature, sweet and multilayered nose. Hints of liquorice and tobacco. Concentrated fruit and still quite young. Compact tannins underline a sweet long fruit finish. (WS)
Drink
2015
2024
16.5

Bellaria, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep ruby with narrow orange rim. Fruitcake-dominated nose. Looks like the fruit was overripe when picked. Very sweet and dense and mouthfilling, but not very complex. A little dry on the finish. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
15

Brizio, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mature-looking mid ruby with broad brickstone rim. Gingerbread and candied fruits and already dangerously oxidative on the palate. Starts to get tired. (WS)
Drink
2013
2015
14.5

Brunelli, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with the beginning of orange. Subdued nose of cherry and orange rind. Lots of concentration but all neatly kept in check. Creamy and very sweet fruit finish with good tannic charge. Popular. (WS)
Drink
2014
2020
16

Capanna, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Very heavy bottle! Impenetrable dark ruby with orange tinges. Subdued with hints of shoe polish and rich strawberry jam. Quite intense and sweet on the palate with good acidity. Huge extract and in need of ageing. (WS)
Drink
2014
2022
16

Caparzo, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Concentrated ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Cocoa and cherry on the nose. Maraschino cherry and damson fruit. Gripping tannins, but very good raw material. (WS)
Drink
2015
2024
16 +

Cava d'Onice, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Already mature-looking ruby with orange rim. Earthy, sweet and multilayered with cherry and notes of candied peel. Richly fruity, but the tannic core and acidity give a nice contrast. (WS)
Drink
2013
2022
16

Collelceto, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with broad, orange rim. Exotic spice and quite savoury. Showing the first signs of age. Mouthfilling, soft fruit picked up by acidity and grating tannins on the finish. Easy to like. For now. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
16

Colombaio, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Impenetrable and already quite mature-looking ruby with orange rim. Full-blown fruitcake. There is acidity but this is already starting to look tired. This is never going to age well. (WS)
Drink
2013
2015
14

Cupano, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Almost impenetrable dark ruby with orange tinges. Very ripe and sweet and pronounced, perhaps even a little overripe and with huge extract. (WS)
Drink
2013
2020
15.5

Fanti, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep ruby with orange rim. Stalky, ripe fruit. Quite rich palate but with depth. Sweet cherry and dried fruit. Intense finish. Not for the faint hearted. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
16

Fornacina, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mature-looking mid ruby with orange rim. Compact and a little peppery. Hint of leather. Impressively rich in extract, quite thick, but with proper tannic stuffing to match. (WS)
Drink
2016
2024
15.5

La Fortuna, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep ruby with orange-tinged rim. Quite pure fruit on the nose and only a hint of tobacco. Fluent, succulent fruit palate with quite powerful tannin. Real freshness and bite on the finish. Needs more time. (WS)
Drink
2016
2028
16.5

Fuligni, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with narrow orange rim. Hints of tobacco leaf, but otherwise quite backward on the nose. Not so on the palate. Quite full bodied with dense, mouthfilling fruit. Big. (WS)
Drink
2013
2020
16.5

Lazzeretti, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Fine oak and a hint of tobacco and gentle but concentrated fruit. Good acidity adding tension and lifespan. Consumer friendly. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
16

La Lecciaia, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mature-looking mid ruby with broad brickstone tinged rim. A little grubby on the nose but with air shows savoury meaty and tobacco notes. Acidity keeps it lively, but no great complexity otherwise. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
15

La Magia, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Dark ruby just beginning to show some orange tinges. A little bloody on the nose. Quite elegant palate weight and well balanced with crunchy tannins. Lots happening, and certainly facing a bright future. (WS)
Drink
2016
2026
16.5

La Mannella, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep, concentrated ruby with narrow orange rim. Heady, sweet cherry compote. Rich and creamy on the finish. Could do with a little more tension and acidity, but certainly has huge concentration. (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
15

Máté, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Savoury and a little leathery or is it just vegetal? Contrasting, intense sweet dried-fruit palate. Quite rich fruit palate but the nose seems a little unripe. (WS)
Drink
2013
2017
15.5

Padelletti, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Very dark, maturing ruby. Very shy on the nose, only the merest hint of soft fruit. Lovely extract and depth and still quite gripping, unsettled (oak) tannin. Needs more time to integrate, but all parts are there. Long and juicy. (WS)
Drink
2016
2028
17

Pinino, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Very heavy bottle. Almost impenetrable dark ruby with narrow orange rim. Cherry and sweet strawberry fruit. No lack of concentration here. Lots of chewy tannins, but not something the rich fruit can’t handle. (WS)
Drink
2016
2024
15.5

La Poderina, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Almost impenetrable, youthful-looking ruby. Vinous nose, but not immediately reminiscent of Sangiovese. Sweet strawberry and fruit. Lots of sweet extract and well built. Too youthful to approach now. (WS)
Drink
2015
2024
16

Poggio di Sotto, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Very heavy bottle. Paleish burgundy look-alike. Undergrowth and sweet decay. Fragrant soft palate and well built, with a big tannic charge on the finish. But it does beg the question whether this would not have benefited more from an earlier release. (WS)
Drink
2013
2020
17

Poggio Nardone, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Impenetrable, mature-looking ruby with orange tinges. Savoury at first. Sweet cherry compote and hints of cedar. Sweet but succulent and with big tannins. Ends warm. Would be interesting to see how this benefits from ageing. (WS)
Drink
2014
2020
15.5

Le Potazzine, Riserva 2006 Brunello di Montalcino

Heavy bottle! Deep ruby, just beginning to show some age. Savoury, with a hint of leather and mouthfilling, ripe cherry fruit. Bags of extract and huge length. Integrated acidity pulls it together. (WS)
Drink
2016
2028
16.5

La Serena, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Heavy bottle! Almost impenetrable dark ruby. Intense raspberry and cherry nose. Leathery too. Very thick and sweet and with huge length, but elegant it’s not. (WS)

Drink
2016
2024
15

Sanlorenzo, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with orange rim. Earthy and kitchen spices and with a layer of brooding candied fruit underneath. Lots of depth and concentration and well balanced. Not a shy wine by any measure. (WS)

Drink
2013
2020
15.5

San Polino, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Deep maturing ruby with the beginning of orange. Fine, profound iron and cherry finely spiced, with a peppery edge. Not open by far, and none of the rich characteristics of the 2007 vintage. Fine acidity turning up on the finish, with a hit of dry, bitter tannins on the finish. Well-formed concentration. Great effort, but not ready yet. (WS) 14.5%
Drink
2016
2028
17.5 +

Sesta di Sopra, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mid ruby with broad orange rim. Quite mature in colour and in aroma, with dried fruit taking the lead. A little oxidative too. Seems like time is running out for this wine. (WS)
Drink
2013
2015
14.5

Tassi, Franci Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mature-looking mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Serious, complex fruit and cedar nose. Elegant palate weight, crunchy tannins and elegant fruit. Not heavy or over extracted at all. (WS)
Drink
2016
2028
17

Terralsole, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Very dark ruby with narrow orange rim. Fairly backward on the nose. Full bodied but well balanced with a generous dose of fruit, muscular grip and good acidity. This can age. (WS)
Drink
2015
2022
16 +

Tornesi, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Lifted earthy cherry. Captivating. Succulent cherry fruit. Waves of rustic tannin. A little biting on the finish, but has real interest. (WS)
Drink
2014
2018
16

Uccelliera, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Almost impenetrable ruby with orange tinges. Meaty and quite rich. Persistent and quite mouthfilling dried fruit, but not dull. Drink now before it gets tired. (WS)
Drink
2013
2017
15.5

Villa Poggio Salvi, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Mature-looking mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Slightly nutty and tertiary on the nose and very slow for the fruit to emerge. Same reluctance on the palate, but linear and well structured with a good dose of acidity and powdery tannin. Very long and not heavy at all. A little closed for now, so hold on to this. (WS)
Drink
2015
2026
17

Vitanza, Riserva 2007 Brunello di Montalcino

Impenetrably dark ruby and only just the beginning of orange tinges. Lifted oak and cherry and dried fruit. Catchy, internationally moulded. Generous palate with huge extract and with a creamy, dense fruit finish. Less would be more. Will this age well? (WS)
Drink
2013
2018
15