Benvenuto Brunello 2003!

Lisini Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is muted, though swishing brings up some cedar with nose tingling spice as well, and red berry fruit and enticing rosemary with time. On the palate it's brighter and better integrated than the nose, with rich lively cherry fruit that gains elegant direction from clean sour berry fruit acidity, and is supported by smooth sweet tannins tat flow into a clean rich berry fruit finish. It's a babe and needs at least a year to come together and flesh out. When it does it will drink nicely with succulent grilled meats, including thicker cuts such as porterhouse steak, and also be nice with flavorful meats. Venison or wild boar, for example. But do give it time.
Score: 88-90

Pian Dell'Orino Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with brownish black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with leather mingled with delicate dried flowers and -- a fellow taster says, milk and gunpowder -- with deft underlying cedar and slightly candied plum fruit. On the palate it's ample, and quite smooth, with bright cherry fruit that gains direction from bright acidity, and is supported by ample smooth tannins that are fairly soft, and flow into a clean tart berry fruit finish that lasts and lasts. Pleasant, and though it is a bit brasher than a Brunello normally is, it will drink well with succulent grilled meats or light stews, and will also age nicely for a number of years.
Score: 86-7

Gianni Brunelli - Le Chiuse di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with intense cedar mingled with some red berry fruit and underlying spice. It's in mid stride, and feels like it's still developing. On the palate it's full, and bright, with lively cherry and forest berry fruit supported by clean sour berry fruit acidity, and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a fairly long clean berry fruit finish. Graceful, though very young, and will benefit from at least a year or perhaps two; it will drink nicely with succulent red meats and be quite versatile within this genre, but you need to give it time. It will also age nicely for a decade or more.
Score: 86-7

Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with green leather and red berry fruit supported by dusky graphite acidity and underlying cedar that has some savory accents. Nice balance, and rich. On the palate it's ample and smooth, and a bit softer than I might have expected from the nose, with fairly rich slightly sour cherry fruit supported by clean sweet tannins that have warm bitter accents and flow into a clean bitter finish with warm savory bitter accents and underlying berry fruit. Pleasant, and though it is clearly a hot weather wine it displays a degree of grace, and will drink nicely with succulent red meats or hearty stews, and also has the capacity to age for a few years - at least 5.
Score: 85-6

Tenute Silvio Nardi Vigneto Manachiara Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with black reflections and dusky almandine rim. The bouquet is intense, and smoky, with powerful hardwood ash and spicy plum berry fruit that has some jammy sweet accents. On the palate it's ample and rich, with fairly powerful red berry fruit that has some jammy accents, supported by slightly greenish acidity, and by full tannins that despite a degree of sweetness also have a warm peppery burr that flows into a clean bitter finish. It's very young, and though not too complex -- there's the directness of youth -- it displays a pleasing vibrant vitality that will go quite nicely with rich stews or other hearty meat dishes in the short term, and will also age nicely too. I enjoyed it.
Score: 86

La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with red berry fruit supported by polished leather and some greenish herbal spice with underlying cedar. Nice balance in a hot weather key. On the palate it's ample, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have slight peppery warmth, and by clean sour berry fruit acidity that leads into a clean slightly sour berry fruit finish with some sweet plum overtones, which are commensurate with the vintage, and greenish bitter tannic underpinning. Pleasant, and deft, and will drink nicely with foods, though I don't think I would sip it far from the table. Perhaps a well marbled porterhouse steak?
Score: 85-6

Podere Paganico Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine ruby with black reflections. Powerful bouquet with fairly intense vinous accents mingled with nose-tingling spice and cedar, underlying fairly rich berry fruit and bitter accents. Quite a bit going on. On the palate it's bright, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by bright cherry acidity and by tannins that have a warm splintery greenish burr, and flow into a clean slightly greenish tannic finish. It's richer and defter than many of the 2003s, and has a pleasing balance of fruit and structure, though it's obviously greener than a more balanced vintage would be. This said, it will drink quite nicely with grilled meats, for example a porterhouse cut, and will also be nice with succulent roasted meats.
Score: 85-6

Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep black almandine with black reflections and red brick rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with nose-tingling acidity supported by some bitter accents and underlying coffee ground bitterness with underlying red berry fruit and deft slightly greenish acidity. On the palate it's richer than the nose, and also much more delicate, with clean fairly rich cherry fruit supported by clean moderately intense mineral acidity and by clean crisp tannins that flow into a fairly bitter fruit laced finish. It's interesting, and I found myself taking a second sip; I would give it a year or two to get its balance, because it will improve, and drink it with succulent red meats.
Score: 85

Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2003

Deep almandine with black reflections and lam rim. The bouquet is bright, with lively tart berry fruit supported by greenish jam that almost brings pepper jam to mind, and clean hints of green leather. Pleasant, and fairly rich. On the palate it's bright, with rich cherry fruit supported by clean def cherry and forest berry fruit acidity, and by tannins that are ample and rather soft, flowing into a clean almost peppery berry fruit finish. It's a bit lax with respect to a more normal vintage, but displays a certain grace and will drink nicely with red meats or stews, and I found myself enjoying it. One of the better 2003s so far.
Score: 85