After Brunellogate: 2004 Brunello di Montalcino(2)
Here, though, are some of my favorite Brunellos:
94 points
2004 Poggio Antico Altero Brunello di Montalcino
The wine’s beauty and intensity are impossible to match: There’s an enormous complexity of aromas here with chocolate, black tar, spice, blackberry, forest currant and tobacco all rolled into one. You’ll pick up toasted oak tones as well, but they are carefully balanced within the naturally supple and smooth essence of this standout Brunello.
94 points
2004 Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino
This is among our favorite 2004 Brunellos. Winemaker Andrea Cortonesi who once said: “the best irrigation is sweat,” has worked hard to craft this plush, modern and penetrating wine. It boasts a deep, dark concentration and a very beautiful bouquet of luscious blackberries, spice, black mineral and cola. It’s round and supple.
94 points
2004 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino
Altesino delivers a wonderfully harmonious wine that generates one delicious sip after another thanks to its polished intensity. Subtle wood shadings appear in the background of bright cherry and blackberry. Overall, what distinguishes this wine is its sense of focus, sharpness and purity.
93 points
2004 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino
Castello Romitorio delivers one of our favorite 2004 Brunellos. Managed by an artist-winemaker father and son team, the estate brings us a beautifully compact and elegant wine that is brimming with fresh fruit tones of cherry and blackberry. The mouthfeel is generous and soft with a luscious fruit-filled finish.
92 points
2004 Tenuta Vitanza Brunello di Montalcino
Tenuta Vitanza is a tiny world of its own, existing within the tiny world of Montalcino. The winery is located at the furthest extreme of the winemaking zone and its owner, Guido Andretta is a wonderfully bi-cultural Italian-American. His wines are always delicious and 2004 is particularly so: It’s fresh and plump with enormous depth of fruit, spice and licorice aromas.
92 points
2004 Mastrojanni Vigna Schiena d’Asino Brunello di Montalcino
This delicious vineyard select Brunello offers loads of intensity and warm aromas of leather, tobacco, spice, wild mushroom, smoked ham and bursting blackberries. It’s a ripe and succulent wine with firm tannins and excellent length on the finish.
91 points
2004 Máté Brunello di Montalcino
The Canadian owners of Máté lead a blessed life between painting, writing and grape growing. The product of their Tuscan dream is a bold and modern wine that is shaped by sophisticated oak use and rich extraction. Deep aromas of vanilla, spice and blackberry ride over smooth tannins.
