Brunello di Montalcino Uccelliera 2021 (750ML)

Uccelliera makes no single-vineyard bottlings. Owner Andrea Cortonesi instead builds his Brunello from plots that differ in altitude, exposure, soil, vine age and clone, and blends them into one wine. The 2021 wears the warmth of its southeastern Montalcino origins in ripe, fleshy fruit, yet keeps its composure. Dried strawberry, blackberry and plum come first, joined by pine resin, eucalyptus, nutmeg and dusty earth, and a rose note surfaces on the palate. Fresh acidity keeps it moving, while firm-grained tannins and a faint trace of young wood say it needs more time. The finish is long, with a sour-berry snap. Critics suggest opening it from 2027 or 2028, with their estimates of its span reaching from the mid-2030s to the mid-2040s. It wants roast duck, venison loin or tagliatelle with shaved truffle.