Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2015 Uccelliera

The Uccelliera 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a great achievement and is among my top favorite wines from Andrea Cortonesi tasted in the 20 or so years I have followed this estate. There is a lot of power here, thanks to that golden Castelnuovo dell'Abate sunshine, so I cannot liken this wine to some of the more ethereal and delicate expressions that I also love. Instead, this Riserva delivers brawn, dark fruit and muscle, but it does so with sincerity and honesty. You can't help but appreciate the complexity on offer. The wine offers plenty of dark fruit, but you also get licorice, balsam herb and crushed limestone. There is a lot of beauty to admire.

Dense aromas of ripe berries, dried cherries, spicy bark and hints of orange rind follow through to a medium to full body with fine, firm tannins that are coated with fresh, spicy and citrusy notes that linger long. Well balanced acidity provides even greater length.

An enticing version, whose vibrant character sets the pace for fresh black cherry, blackberry, iron and tobacco, with a frame of oak spice. Round and solidly built, this persists with lingering accents of fruit, mineral and spice.

An enticing version, whose vibrant character sets the pace for fresh black cherry, blackberry, iron and tobacco, with a frame of oak spice. Round and solidly built, this persists with lingering accents of fruit, mineral and spice." WINE SPECTATOR

The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows the sun-kissed nature of the vintage in its bouquet, wafting up with masses of ripe cherry, strawberry and sweet spice. However, it takes on a much more austere character from there on out. It’s silky and refined, boasting wonderfully pure red berry fruits and pretty inner florals; yet it quickly firms up, flexing its structural muscle with cheek-puckering tension. Subtle hints of balsamic, cedar and wild herbs linger on the long and almost-chewy finale. While I love the 2015 Riserva for its upfront personality, the extended time spent in wood takes away some of the magic found in the straight Brunello. That said, give this a few years to unwind in the cellar, and enjoy it over the short term.