92 Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The Podere Scopetone 2018 Brunello di Montalcino has a soft and gentle character that is well suited to the more immediate or near-term profile of the vintage. There is sour cherry and plum at the start, and the wine maintains that rather tart and fresh personality throughout. Only in the palate are those flavors fleshed out by heavier notes of tobacco, cola and grilled herb. At the end, the wine reverts back to those bitter fruit flavors. Only 6,120 bottles were made.

91 Decanter

At lofty elevations near the town of Montalcino, Scopetone totals five hectares. From the now 40-year-old vines, owners Loredana Tanganelli and Antonio Brandi carve out 7,000 bottles of Brunello annually. with forest underbrush, walnut and wet earth, this 2018 makes way for more lifted tones of pressed cherry blossom. Midweight and lightly structured, it flows effortlessly though is still tight through the core. Not an obvious wine, but it has length and balance.