Col d’Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2012

  This is Brunello at its best.  Col d’Orcia, one of the leading producers of Brunello, makes fabulous Riserva…but only in the best years.  Vintage after vintage, Col d’Orcia’s Poggio al Vento consistently combines power and elegance.  The 2012, from an excellent vintage in the Montalcino region, is no exception.  There’s a wonderful lush intensity to the wine, without a trace of heaviness.  Nothing is overdone.  This is a wine that exudes elegance.  The tannins are firm, but not intrusive, as would be expected from a young Riserva.  The explosive introduction on the palate is replicated with an exception finish.  My experience with their Poggio al Vento is that they take at least a decade to really blossom.  Brunello-lovers, find room in the cellar for this one.