2010 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino - 750ML

99 Points – James Suckling

Valdicava’s 2010 Brunello comes from one of the most highly regarded modern vintages in Montalcino, combining the estate’s typically substantial style with unusual finesse and balance. Now more than 15 years from harvest, it has moved firmly into maturity while retaining the concentration and structure that made the vintage so compelling on release.

Blend: 100% Sangiovese

Tasting Notes: Dark cherry, plum and wild strawberry are joined by dried flowers, licorice and porcini, with tobacco, leather, savory herbs and earthy nuances reflecting its bottle age. The palate remains concentrated and energetic, with mature fruit, layered savory complexity and finely resolved tannins carrying through a long finish.

Structure: Full-bodied and powerful, but notably refined for Valdicava, with Sangiovese acidity maintaining freshness beneath the wine’s depth. The once-substantial tannins have softened considerably, leaving a mature but still structured Brunello with impressive persistence.

Drink Window: Now–2032. Wine Spectator originally projected a window through 2032, and at its current age the wine should be considered fully mature rather than a bottle requiring further cellaring. Excellent provenance may carry it beyond that point, but bottle condition increasingly matters.

Decanting: Stand the bottle upright for several hours beforehand to settle sediment. Decant gently shortly before serving and follow it in the glass; at this stage, sediment removal and controlled aeration are preferable to a long, aggressive decant.

The 2010 Valdicava offers the appeal of mature Brunello while still retaining meaningful fruit and structure—a particularly attractive stage for those who enjoy Sangiovese as it moves toward leather, earth and savory complexity. Serve it with bistecca alla Fiorentina, roast lamb, porcini, game or aged Pecorino, or make it the centerpiece of a dinner where mature Tuscan wine is the focus.