Brunello di Montalcino, Le Potazzine 2013

The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino walks a very fine line between elegance and finesse. Those may seem like two analogous terms, but this wine teaches you that they are not. The bouquet offers tonic and buoyant tones of wild berry, blueberry, dried herb and licorice. Each is elegant in its own right, but together they form a nuanced and finessed whole. Le Potazzine does very nicely in the hot vintages, but it delivers unexpected surprises (like this wine) in the cooler ones. Only 13,000 bottles will be sold.

Underbrush, tilled soil, new leather, dried herb and pressed rose aromas slowly unfold in the glass. On the vibrant, linear palate, white pepper and chopped mint notes accent a core of sour cherry and pomegranate. Racy acidity and taut refined tannins give it an elegant structure while a saline note closes the lingering finish. It's still youthfully austere and needs time to fully develop. Drink from 2023 through 2033.