1996 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino

Mature yet in no fear of decline, the 1996 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino wafts up from the glass with a display of crushed black cherry, balsamic spice, tobacco, earthy minerals and damp fall leaves. It floods the palate with silky textures and gorgeous, dark ripe fruits, verging on fleshy, yet wrangled in by zesty acids, creating a deeply satisfying but also cleansing expression. The finish is long, showing just a hint of residual tannin with echoes of sweet inner florals. The 1996 is in a beautiful place right now, and while it isn’t a widely heralded vintage, there is plenty to like here. As we often say: buy the producer, not the vintage.