Col d’Orcia 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento 96
Méo-Camuzet 2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes Premier Cru 94
Col d’Orcia 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento 96
Medium-deep bright red. Red cherry, plum, licorice, cedar, black pepper, blood orange and a whiff of building tertiary notes of dried flowers and herbs on the bouquet. Silky on entry, then more saline and dense in the middle, with nicely lingering, intense flavours of red cherry, strawberry, tobacco, and balsamic oils. Impeccably balanced and remarkably smooth, featuring noble tannins, a complex multilayered personality and excellent length. Another outstanding Brunello Riserva Poggio al Vento from Col d’Orcia, this is one of Montalcino’s and Italy’s best wines in every vintage it is made. The 2006 has always been spectacularly ready to drink from the get-go, an added bonus in this vintage. Drinking window: 2026-2036.
Méo-Camuzet 2017 Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes Premier Cru 94
I get it, lambasting the 2017 vintage and iconic producers is always fun sport for many wine writers. However, this beauty by Méo-Camuzet is a gem, and needs to be treated and described with the respect it deserves. Bright luminous deep red. Highly perfumed and energetic nose offers pristine aromas of raspberry, soy sauce, white pepper and an utterly pure violet topnote. Elegant, fresh and precise on the palate, with outstanding inner-mouth perfume to its expressive crushed red berry and minerality that elevate the wine’s inner-mouth tension and subtle touch. The sneaky tannic structure provides structure but no with repeating violet nuances and a sweet-sour component that really stimulates the taste buds on the long back end. Méo started picking on September 6 and finished roughly over a week later: he has been remarkably successful with his 2017 wines, all of which are brimming with charm and grace. Drinking window: 2026-2033.
