The World of Fine Wine, tastings by, Nicolas Belfrage MW, Bruno Besa, and Andrew Jefford,
Brunello di Montalcino Il Marroneto Madonna delle Grazie 2012
Average Score: 93
First taster: Nicolas Belfrage MW Score: 93
Note: (cc1 = light red, cc5= opaque) cc4. Cranberries, cherries, and a touch of large wood on the nose. Intense, sweet fruit on the palate, with ripe tannins and good acidity holding the very attractive fruit in place. Should be drinking from 2018 for quite a while.
Second taster: Bruno Besa Score: 94
Note: Deep garnet to ruby. A slightly closed blackfruit nose, with clean, broad character. Full body, with refined yet massive tannins and a long, clean finish. A great effort, just a little impenetrable at this stage. But I’m sure that it will soon blossom into a classy Brunello.
Third taster: Andrew Jefford Score: 93
Note: Deep, dark, though non-opaque black-red; one of the deepest-colored wines in the tasting. Earthy, roasty, and warm, with lots of exuberant fruits and some darker, moister root spice, too. Dark, deep, dense, and brooding, which few of its peers seem to do in this vintage: a big overcoat of tannins thrown over a broad back of dark fruits. Excellent, sturdy, long-lasting, almost inscrutable at this stage, but give it time and much will be revealed. There are few wines in this tasting that are as dense, tight-knit, and densely freighted as this one.
