With the first tilt of the glass, you know that this is not your average 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. An enthralling bouquet of spiced citrus peels, roses, sour cherries, crushed rocks and animal musk keeps you at the edge of your seat. This is remarkably pure and delicate, seeming to hover across the palate, yet delivering a vivid mix of ripe wild berries, salty minerals and purple-tinged florals. Beneath, saturated tannins build, yet the expression remains fresh – almost mouthwatering, in fact – as sweet hints of plum and tobacco slowly fade. While the Baricci family doesn’t market their wine as a cru, this is indeed 100% Montosoli fruit from one of the region's top winemaking families. Bravo.

Proudly from Montosoli, the Baricci 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows a generous and authentic personality with earthy tones, dried fruit, ripe cherry and roasted herb. This warm-vintage wine is elegant and pure, although there is a meaty or smoky note that is part and parcel of the 2017 vintage. This wine registers 15% alcohol and a thick, open-knit texture. It could use a bit more fruit definition, and I would recommend a near or medium-term drinking window for this bottle.

Blood and iron flavors frame the earth- and cherry-filled core of this firm, dry red. Though linear in profile, there is complexity here, offering a lively beam of acidity for lift. Tips to the dry side on the finish. Best from 2024 through 2040. 1,300 cases made, 300 cases imported.