2019 Casanova di Neri Cerretalto Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany

The Casanova di Neri 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto (with the black label) opens to medium-plus concentration, dark fruit, ferrous earth and black licorice. You get a lot of detail on the bouquet. This is a big wine with all muscle and no fat. It concludes with smoky barbecue, cola and pressed blue flower. These ethereal aromas appear only after the wine has been in the glass for a while. Rich concentration wraps over the palate but imparts no residual heaviness. This wine has great capacity to age, but I love Cerretalto when its primary fruit is still apparent (10 to 20 years in). Production is 9,700 bottles. The Cerretalto will not be made in 2020.

97+ points Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

Wow. Seductive aromas of slate, violets and black cherries as well as some graphite and cedar. Full-bodied, this has incredible depth, intensity and purity, building on the palate with focused fruit and pronounced tannins. Goes on for minutes. A wine for the long run. Best of the vintage? Try after 2029.

100 points James Suckling

Casanova di Neri is one of Montalcino's most celebrated estates, founded by Giovanni Neri in 1971 and now guided by his son Giacomo. Cerretalto is the family's extraordinary single vineyard Brunello, produced only in exceptional vintages. Long regarded as one of Tuscany's great collectable reds, it combines the power of Sangiovese with remarkable elegance and an unmistakable sense of place.

The Cerretalto vineyard lies in the eastern part of Montalcino, where mineral rich soils and a distinctive microclimate contribute to the wine's concentration and complexity. The outstanding 2019 vintage delivered beautifully ripe fruit, freshness and structure, creating a Brunello with enormous promise.

Deep ruby red with emerging garnet highlights. Black cherry, wild raspberry and ripe plum mingle with rose petals, liquorice, balsamic herbs and dark tobacco. The palate is concentrated and beautifully structured, with dense red and black fruit, vibrant acidity and powerful yet remarkably refined tannins. Notes of crushed stone, cedar and savoury spice carry through an exceptionally long finish.

Try it with porcini and truffle pappardelle, slow roasted lamb with rosemary, or wild mushroom and aged pecorino polenta. For a wine of this stature, a generous decant and an unhurried evening are thoroughly deserved.

Cellaring: Drink 2029 to 2050+. A magnificent candidate for extended cellaring, with the balance and structure to develop for decades.