Terre Nere Brunello Di Montalcino 2020

Brunello di Montalcino is one of Italy's benchmark reds, made entirely from Sangiovese grown in the warm, dry hills around the town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany. The climate is hotter and more reliable than further north in Chianti, which ripens Sangiovese fully and gives Brunello its depth and longevity. Terre Nere ages this wine for 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks, the traditional vessel for the appellation. Slavonian oak is tight-grained and low in aromatic lactones, so it allows slow, gentle oxidation that builds structure and complexity without overlaying heavy vanilla, letting the Sangiovese fruit and savoury character come through. The colour is deep garnet. The nose shows sour cherry, dried plum, leather, tobacco and dried herbs, with an earthy minerality typical of Montalcino. The palate is full and firmly structured, with high acidity and grippy tannins that mark the grape, carrying the fruit through a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour or two. It is built for red meat and aged cheese, and is a wine to cellar.