Fresh and floral with dark fruits. Very perfumed. Full body, seriously tight and polished. Wonderful length. A cool and well-crafted 2013. Drink or hold.

The Tassi 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is a velvety and generous wine with dark fruit tones that are all-encompassing and beautifully ripened. In fact, ripeness is the key to reading this wine. This is a soft and succulent Brunello with moments in which some of the fruit tones move over to the jammy side, even for a very brief second. I mention that because 2013 was not as hot as 2011 or 2012 and you don't commonly see this level of ripeness in this vintage. These factors contribute to making a soft, rich and plush red wine that is accessible and ready to drink in the near and medium term.

Underbrush, cedar, iris and Mediterranean scrub aromas lift out of the glass. The densely packed palate offers mature plum, vanilla, star anise and espresso alongside the warmth of evident alcohol. Assertive tannins provide the framework. Drink after 2023.

Deep red. Intense aromas and flavors of singed plum, red cherry liqueur, balsamic vinegar and violet. Completely coats the palate with massive dark fruit flavors, plus a touch of coffee, mocha, and cherry skin for added bite. Too rich and ripe today to be elegant, but distinctly rich, sweet and chewy. Finishes with strong thrust and lingering fleshy fruit flavors. This needs to lie in a good cellar for a few years to shed all its baby fat.