2017 Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Vecchia, Tuscany

The V. V. stands for old vines. With fruit from 50-year-old plants, the Le Ragnaie 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Ragnaie V. V. is one of three black-label special selections made by this estate. Instead of a Riserva program, Le Ragnaie focuses on territorial identity and single-vineyard expressions. This pretty wine shows the distinctive concentration that comes from the old vines, but that is also a result of the hot growing season. Dark fruit, rose, spice and baked clay emerge from this medium to full-bodied Brunello. Production is 3,800 bottles.

In a drive to discover the coolest growing spots in Montalcino, Le Ragnaie has introduced a new wine, the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Passo del Lume Spento, from one of the highest elevation sites in the municipality. The Italian name of the wines translates as "pass of the extinguished lantern," and if I remember my Montalcino lore correctly, this area got its name from some spooky story about a ghost carriage with no lights and a headless horseman that once hunted this isolated spot surrounded by thick woods. I apologize if I'm not remembering the story exactly as it was told to me.

95 points Monica Larner robertparker.com