Soldera - Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino 2017

The 2017 holds a personal weight, the last vintage tasted with Gianfranco Soldera before his passing in 2019, sampled in early September that year after an unusually early harvest pushed back the visit by a few days. The wine itself is open and generous, wearing the warmth of this dry vintage with unguarded grace. Red cherry, kirsch, rose petal, mint and a touch of cinnamon move through a supple, rounded frame that invites rather than demands patience. Gorgeous to drink now, and compelling enough to follow for two decades or more, though cellaring is hardly obligatory.