Brunello

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 2001
Earlier in the year one bottle was corked while the second was fine. That bottle was very complex, silky and evolved with a little less acidity than I expected, making it ready to drink without delay. Today we opened three bottles, one of which was corked. Of the two that were satisfactory, there was some variation, with one wine being more silky and the other more tannic. Perhaps some sub-threshold TCA adding astringency accounts for the variation. Cork taint with this producer’s wine is too frequent an occurrence, especially at the price level over $50. Estate bottled in Montalcino 14% $55.95 at Traverso’s Altesino