2001 Case Basse (Soldera) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Medium-deep brilliant ruby. Extremely complex nose offers very sweet ripe red cherry, high-quality tobacco, leather and delicate Oriental spices, all given added freshness by a touch of volatile acidity that Soldera enthusiasts well know to be a trademark of the house. Rich and suave, with extremely concentrated flavors of red cherry and spicy black plum, with complicating notes of vanilla, milk chocolate, smoke, coriander and raspberry jam. This has wonderfully integrated acidity and tannins that are smoother than velvet. The finish goes on into next week, marinating the mouth in a delicately suave yet very rich and concentrated flavor extravaganza. Though not quite at the level of Soldera's 1983 Riserva, one of the four or five greatest wines ever to come out of Italy, this promises to be another hugely successful vintage for this bottling.