2009 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino

(92+ points)  Vincenzo Abbruzzese’s 2009 Brunello di Montalcino is a dense and full-bodied rendition that delivers an enormously floral bouquet of crushed rose petal and dried potpourri with background tones of cinnamon stick, root beer and caramelized brown sugar. Past vintages of this wine have shown great power and structure in the mouth, but the 2009 vintage is veiled and nuanced instead. There’s a silky and tight quality to the tannin backed by a long, polished feel. The wine never feels bulky or dense. It will be interesting to see how it evolves, but if you don’t want to wait, it can also be consumed in the near-term. Drink: 2016-2024.