Brunello – an early look at 2010–2013

During my second visit to Montalcino in February, I was given the opportunity to taste a handful of future Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino wines of every vintage from 2010 up to 2013. These are embryonic wines, of course, and, in many cases, even the 2010 Brunello has yet to be bottled. But I was keen to peek into the future, as many producers I spoke to already claimed that 2010 in particular is a great vintage.

It is understandable that the 2010s are considered highly, especially after the hot and rather uneven 2009s. What I tasted so...