With a special commemorative label that celebrates its 40th birthday (1978–2018), the Casanova di Neri 2018 Brunello di Montalcino is lush and carefully concentrated to offer intensity and textural richness. The bright fruit remains intact in this wine, with plenty of cherry and blackberry, in an encouraging nod to the future cellar potential of this bottle. Many Brunellos from this vintage reveal faded or dried fruit, but thankfully not this wine. The acidity is mild, falling softly to the background, and the tannins are expertly managed. Only the finish is a bit leaner and quicker than anticipated. The wine ages in large oak casks for 42 months, and this year's production is an ample 105,000 bottles. Happy anniversary.

The Neri family has two new wines to present. The biggest news is the introduction of the top-shelf Brunello di Montalcino Giovanni Neri. The wine—and the vineyard site—is named after Giacomo Neri's dad (and his son), and fruit comes from a seven-hectare vineyard that was planted in 1973 by a farmer named Tocci. After many, many failed attempts, the Neri family was finally able to buy this gem in 2017, despite claims by the old farmer that "he would never sell." Thankfully, he changed his mind. The second wine is the Rosso di Montalcino Giovanni Neri, in production now for four years. In fact, I did a little vertical of all vintages produced so far: 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018.