How Long Lived Are Top Brunellos From Outstanding Vintages?

[Laurent_Gibet]

I agree with Mark. Most of them reach the maturity around 15, still showing generous fruit but also tertiary notes. If kept well, the 85 to 90 should also be drinking beautifully at the top. Just like Bordeaux or Rhone, they become burgundian as fruit fades. The super concentrated special cuvees like Valdicava Riserva Madonna del Piano should peak around 25-35.

I had a great Brunello horizontale tasting in october 2017.
For 2012, a vintage of concentration, the best wines like Soldera Case Basse 2012 (IGT Toscana, very powerful), Lisini 2012, Fattoria dei Barbi Vigna del Fiori 2012, L’Aietta 2012, Salvioni La Cerbaiola 2012, should age longly.
2014 was a difficult year, many producers did not produce a Brunello.

[Arv_R]

By coincidence I’m drinking an 07 La Poderina BdM right now. Not sure its considered a top vintage but lets say its at least a good one. However the wine already tastes dried out and underfruited (to me). The idea that more wood/aging is automatically and always good doesn’t make sense to me. Between fruit, freshness, and price I’d generally tilt toward Chianti (or rossos) vs. Brunello.

[Mikael_OB]

Have had little experience with aged brunello but got hold of a Fuligni from 1996 a while back, pooped about a month ago - my notes:

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Browning on the edges and on the first day, fresh fruits with red cherries (and berries). Leather and earthiness coming through, somewhat tart acidity and sweet orange (?) and licorice.

Main change on the second day - More pronounced menthol, still red cherries but tone of darker fruits. Still very fresh, the tart acidity nowhere to be found. Fresh, alive and the wine is definitely in a great spot, though no rush based on this bottle.

Long finish, rather smooth silky with fine grained tannins and still solid but balanced acidity. Towards the end sweet fruits flavors coming through.
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My impression based on this one bottle - confident it could continue to develop positively, another 10 years easily. More, why not?

Most of my cellared brunello wines have about 10 or less years, while easier and enjoyable to drink starting from about 10, they missed the depth of layers comparing to above wine.