The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino is a supple and immediately inviting Brunello that is packed tight with ripe fruit and jammy background notes of sun-drenched raspberry and strawberry. I also made note of the alcohol in my tasting note that I later saw registered at 14.5%. The wine picks up momentum in the mouth where it boasts impressive and compelling textural richness. I am an enthusiastic admirer of Il Poggione’s 2008 and 2006 Brunellos, but 2007 and 2009 both seem riper and more immediate. It will be interesting to see how it fleshes out over time. Drink: 2015-2019. - ML

This forward Brunello opens with a fruit and spice fragrance of ripe black berries, cinnamon and hot red pepper. The dense palate delivers fleshy black cherry, ripe black raspberry, black pepper and cake spices alongside dusty tannins. KERIN O’KEEFE