The Gaja family's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille opens to striking intensity and beauty that is apparent even as you pour the wine from the bottle. The wine's appearance is dark and so perfectly saturated with dark garnet and ruby highlights. On the nose, it shows infinite aromas of dark fruit, plum, dried figs, licorice, grilled herbs, cola and so much more. The complexity is outstanding. The Sugarille single vineyard delivers power and structure that gives this wine such a firm presence on the palate. But you also get a great sense of the quality of fruit that was harvested in 2010. Angelo Gaja skipped the 2009 vintage. But this vintage makes up for the loss with its long aging potential. This is an amazing wine to put way at the back of your cellar for ten years or more. What a delight. - Monica Larner

The core of black cherry and plum is shaded by vanilla, coconut and sweet spice notes in this intensely flavored yet fluid red. Long and beautifully integrated at this young stage, with tobacco, leather and mineral details emerging on the aftertaste. Needs time. Best from 2019 through 2036.—B.S