La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino 1998

From the old Biondi Santi vineyards, some of the first in Montalcino, this wine is a testament to the quality of old-fashioned Brunello. A slight brick forming on the edge of the glass speaks of the age and the oak maturation. The nose is a lovely mix of raspberries, cherries, leather, dust, subois and soft oak. The palate follows true to form, but the real attraction is the silky and supple texture of this beuaty. Chewy enough on the tannins to still hold the title of "big" but velvety enough to say "elegant." Speaking of chewy, this wine had a lot of throw for it's age, so drink now, but only after decanting.