2004 CastelGiocondo - Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese - Italy - Tuscany - Brunello di Montalcino - Red

Opened and sat for ~4+ hours but really needed decanting. Great depth but was hoping for more fruit, Character was nice, very silky and lots of acid but definitely was not the pleaser I was hoping it would be. Still a solid effort - and there will be better Brunellos down the line.

It would appear the fruit is beginning to fade. The bouquet was fairly large, but the midpalate seemed hollow and did not live up to the bouquet's promise. The finish was short (about three seconds), but the tannins were fine and well integrated. Nevertheless, this bottle offered a reasonable amount of depth and pleasure, and was an okay pairing with Osso Buco. Drink now.

The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a big, super-ripe wine bursting with fruit. This deep, concentrated Brunello is incredibly fresh and vibrant. Although the sweet tannins make the wine very accessible at this stage, readers in search of a more complex drinking experience will want to give this Brunello a few years in bottle. The 2004 Brunello from Castelgiocondo is a lovely effort from the Frescobaldi family and one of the finest vintages to be produced at the property. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022