This has always been one of my favorite vintages of this spectacular single-vineyard wine from Montalcino. In fact, I had previously scored the 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto a perfect 100-points before I started working for Robert Parker Wine Advocate. I am tempted to do the same here, save for the fact I have the memory of the 2010 vintage with that super firm and precise elegance so fresh in my mind. This wine is larger, richer and more textured. There is a broader, looser quality to this wine's fruity extraction and composition. This expression has more meat or flesh on those bones. Giacomo Neri does some of his best work in these warm vintages that add so much fruit and balsam-like intensity. The 2007 Cerretalto is drinking beautifully right now, and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It has entered what I believe will be a long and successful drinking plateau.

Dark raspberry jam, flowers, mint, spices and French oak all burst from the glass as the 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto shows off its personality. Stacked to the core with fruit, the 2007 Cerretalto needs time to lose some of its baby fat, but it is undeniably appealing. The flashy, ripe style of the year comes through loud and clear on the voluptuous, generous finish. Cerretalto remains one of the most distinctive wines in Montalcino. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. Giacomo Neri is brutally honest in describing 2008 as a challenging vintage marked by significant rain and hail events. Overall production is down 40% across the board. Neri’s 2008s are impressive for the year, however, and are a testament to a grower who is willing to make the hard choices necessary to ensure consistently high quality.Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405

Pure cherry and blackberry fruit mingles with mineral, spice and earth notes in this modern-style red. Graphite elements emerge as the bright acidity and dusty tannins drive the long finish. Fresh and focused, with fine complexity and seamless texture. Best from 2016 through 2035. 4,225 cases made, 34 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add