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.
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Lifted cherry nose. Powerful, sweet cherry fruit and richly tannic. Pushes all buttons. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Just mid ruby and mature looking. Very ripe and a little stewed. Lacks in definition. Cask sample? (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mature, mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Balsamic with a hint of eucalyptus. Extracted and very youthful. Big tannins. Still needs to integrate. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
Maturing mid-concentrated ruby with orange rim. Cherry liqueur and cinnamon bark on the nose. Enormous sweet concentration. If you like it big and bold. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Dark mature-looking ruby with narrow orange rim. Elegant fruit nose with hints of dried fruit and tobacco. Soft and open-knit palate with just the right dose of acidity. At its peak, it seems. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Dark, mature-looking ruby with brickstone rim. Like tucking into a Christmas cake. Very, very ripe. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
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
Red
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
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Quite slow to open up. Very good concentration of sweet fruit, rich even. Could do with a little more acidity. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Concentrated, mature-looking ruby with orange rim. Very round and ripe and a little bit dull. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
Deep ruby with orange rim. Quite heady nutty fruitcake nose. Very mouthfilling and sweet. Enormous density! (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Maturing mid ruby with brickstone rim. Brooding but already mature. Quite a lot of tannins to chew on at the moment. (WS)
Drink:
2015
–
2020
Red
Very heavy bottle! Dark, mature-looking ruby. Very slow to emerge from the glass and same reluctance on the palate. Key word is sweet concentration. A little leathery. (WS)
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Red
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
Red
Dark, maturing ruby. Herb liqueur nose. Seems a little stewed, but there is acidity to keep it going. Not really complex. Quite drying tannins. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
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
Red
Impenetrable, youthful ruby. Firmly pushing the oak button, but gets away with it. Upfront, internationally styled, with bags of sweet, ripe fruit and (still) dry finish. May work for some, not for others. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Red
Mid ruby with the beginning of orange on the rim. Sweet, earthy and a little closed. Bags of fruit on the palate. Very ripe but lacks a little definition. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Maturing mid ruby with broad orange rim. Cedar and dark fruit with lift. Youthful and rich but well shaped. No shy wine, this. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
Very dark ruby with orange tinges. Posh oak and brooding fruit nose. Sweet strawberry but not laid on too thickly. Firm structure, and succulent and fluent. Worth waiting for. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
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
Red
Deep ruby with narrow orange rim. Pronounced sweet, jammy fruit nose. Quite jammy and extracted. Waves of big but ripe tannins. (WS)
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Red
Dark ruby with orange rim. Fine nose of oriental spice and brooding cherry. Real grip and with very ripe fruit and bold tannin. Ends warm. Ready now. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mature and impenetrable ruby with narrow orange rim. Dark and earthy. Quite sweet and extracted and powerful but might increase in complexity with age. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2020
Red
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
Red
Quite developed mid ruby with broad brickstone-tinged rim. Slow to open up on the nose. Begins to show tertiary aromas. Fluent fruit palate with chewy tannins. Quite good. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mid ruby with orange tinges. Still quite compact and marked by oak. Rich, sweet and open knit and a little facile on the palate. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
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
Red
Mature-looking ruby with brickstone rim. Herb liqueur and cherry hints. Gingerbread and cherry fruit palate. Quite chunky. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
Deep ruby with narrow brickstone rim. A little peppery on the nose and the first signs of tobacco. A little stubborn on the palate. Strikes a balance with the acidity. Ends quite warm. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Red
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
Red
Deep ruby with broad orange rim. Earthy and subdued on the nose, and big and powerful on the palate. Piles it high. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
Deep ruby with orange rim. Savoury and quite compact. Intense and sweet and rich – not really the proper ingredients for ageing. Big tannins too. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Deep ruby with narrow orange rim. Pretty stalky and a hint of leather and liquorice. Seems a little overripe. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mid ruby with orange rim. Very closed, hints of liquorice. Quite ripe fruit, but still got some life ahead of it. Big. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
Dark mature-looking ruby. Balsamic nose. Spicy too. Fairly sweet and extracted. Rich finish of super-ripe fruit. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
Deep and still youthful-looking ruby. Mellow, round and a little too easy going. Rich, but a little tame. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. A little stalky and with hints of tobacco leaf. Lots of grainy tannin framing the sweet fruit. Not hugely complex. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Just mid ruby with broad orange rim. Earthy, rather than fruity on the nose. Gingerbread and dried cherry palate. Just manages the balance. Not very precise. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
Dark, mature-looking ruby with narrow orange rim. Lifted sweet cherry compote and just enough acidity to keep it going. Quite rich finish. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Quite restrained nose showing a little nuttiness. Very mellow and soft and easy going. Too easy going, perhaps. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mid ruby with orange tinges. Hints of black bread, tobacco and dark fruit. More fruit driven on the palate and fantastic gripping tannin. Still a long way to go. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2028
Red
Mid ruby with orange tinges. Very closed on the nose. Lots of sweet concentration, but unwilling to really open up. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2020
Red
Deep ruby with narrow orange rim. Mellow and concentrated and could do with a little more acidity. A little flabby. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
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
Red
Looks like a very old mature wine. Very sweet and oxidised. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Deep ruby with orange tinges. Sweet and firmly in the dried-fruit corner. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
Bright, mid ruby beginning to show some orange. Moroccan leather and a hint of bacon. Subdued fruit. Lots of concentration and length. Still needs to open up. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
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
Red
Lacklustre mid ruby with broad orange rim. Lots of extract, but looks a little tired. Drying finale. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
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
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Impenetrable dark ruby with narrow orange rim. Savoury, meaty opening. Very extracted and opulent and rich sweet finish. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
Dark, maturing ruby with orange rim. Lots of dried-fruit flavours, but with some complexity. Drink over the next couple of years. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
Concentrated ruby with orange rim. Hint of horse saddle. Quite sweet fruit and a little one-dimensional. (WS)
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Red
Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Very ripe and concentrated, just not very complex or compelling and lacks a little tension. Very low acidity. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
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
Red
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)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2016
–
2028
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. A little rustic but multilayered. Hint of leather. Rich and very ripe fruit. Hedonistic and ready now. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Heavy bottle! Maturing mid ruby with orange rim. Sweet strawberry fruit. Persistent on the palate, but not too thick. (WS)
Drink:
2015
–
2024
Red
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
Red
Just mid ruby with very broad orange rim. Quite developed on the nose and palate, and very round and ripe on the palate. Acidity just about manages to keep the tension. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange rim. Pretty, sweet cherry fruit matched by succulent acidity and gripping tannins. Too young to approach really. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
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
Red
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
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Quite dark ruby with orange tinges. Perfumed and heady. Sweetly concentrated but there is complexity and just enough acidity. Very young. (WS)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange rim. A little stalky and earthy at first. Monolithic and sweet and needs age to get more definition. (WS)
Drink:
2015
–
2020
Red
Mid ruby with broad orange-tinged rim. Very subdued on the nose. Lots of concentration and good acidity, but lacks a little bit in definition. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Red
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
Red
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
Red
Very dark ruby with orange-tinged rim. Fine, balsamic nose with hints of liquorice and spice. A good mouthful of fruit framed by firm tannin. Drink now. (WS)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
