A dark crimson color protrudes form the core almost to the rim. Despite over a decade of age, this opens with an opulent bouquet of ripe cherries, cola, mocha, leather and a floral touch – a display of the warmth of the vintage but also the strength of Valdicava wines to excel under all conditions and hold strong for many years. The predominant cherry notes follow through to the palate, with a welcome addition of saddle leather, dust, tobacco and earthy tones. The fully integrated tannins earmark the wines maturity, but the wine still has plenty in reserve. Refined and extremely well crafted, this fantastic wine is a pleasure to contemplate in its current state, and will be a joy to follow in the years ahead. Drink now – 2025.

The 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is a super-ripe, opulent wine that resembles the 1997 in its generous, full-bodied personality. The tannins are surprisingly well-balanced within the context of this challenging vintage. The 2003 should drink well relatively early for this Riserva. All things considered, this is a superb effort. Production was down sharply in 2003. The estate bottled just 13,000 bottles of this wine compared to the typical 23,000 bottles. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2023. - Antonio Galloni