Carpineto Carpineto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 750ml

A rich, harmonious red, displaying cherry, raspberry, iron, leather and earth aromas and flavors, with a hint of caraway. Sleek and succulent, shows a well-integrated structure and a flight-to-Mars-and-back finish. Best from 2024 through 2046. 600 cases made, 300 cases imported. (Bruce Sanderson)

The 2015 Carpineto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva mixes rich plum sauce and brown spice with lifting notes of wild herbs and white smoke. There’s an earthy, flowery undergrowth component that comes forward with time and really completes the expression. It’s deeply textural with a salty, savory persona, as flavors of cherry sauce and sage give way to baker’s chocolate and hints of tobacco. The finish is structured yet maintains balance, coming across as youthfully tannic but also clean and fresh. There’s a bit of a rustic feel here, yet it only serves to further accentuate the experience. (Eric Guido)