Il Blu

Shows a resinous note from the oak that envelops ripe black cherry, plum, leather, mineral and tobacco flavors. This red just keeps building in intensity and fruit on the palate, ending with a succulent, fruit- and spice-infused aftertaste. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040. 3,500 cases made, 495 cases imported.

A tightly wound style, with black cherry and blackberry flavors wrapped in a grip of dusty tannins. Reveals earth, tar and eucalyptus elements as this stretches out on the finish. Fresh and balanced. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2038.

Very elegant, exhibiting black cherry and blackberry notes that are fresh and fruity, with a hint of oak spice. This is well-defined, beautifully balanced and long, with the oak spice lingering on the finish. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2026 through 2042. 2,917 cases made, 2,917 cases imported.

Offering a lovely expression of black currant, blackberry, violet and lavender aromas and flavors, this is vibrant, elegant, linear, totally focused and tense, with a long aftertaste. Shows great tension and purity. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2025 through 2043. 2,100 cases made, 290 cases imported.

Opulent and expressive, featuring plum, blackberry, black currant, violet and spice flavors. Still a very youthful example of Il Blu, this is juicy, packed with ripe fruit, showing fine balance, power, finesse and length. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2026 through 2043. 2,100 cases made, 290 cases imported.

A rich, opulent version, this delivers black cherry, black currant, plum and cedar flavors, with good intensity and concentration. The lively fruit is shaded by tobacco, iron and wild herbs, and this is less showy than either 2010 or 2006 now, yet there's fine potential, with some tannins still to resolve. Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,100 cases made, 290 cases imported.

A youthful red, still with some primary fruit aromas and flavors of black cherry, plum, wild rosemary, licorice, iron and tobacco. Fresh, succulent and harmonious, this is very long and compelling. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Drink now through 2040. 3,200 cases made, 500 cases imported.

Offering balsamic aromas of juniper, eucalyptus, plum and blackberry, this is very ripe and succulent. Shows power, yet remains an elegant Il Blu, with plenty of grip on the lingering finish. Opens up nicely in the glass. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2024 through 2040. 4,200 cases made, 1,250 cases imported.

This beautiful Il Blu delivers ripe plum, blackberry and black currant fruit, with woodsy, spice and leather elements adding detail. Firmly structured, this borders on racy, super long and complex. The standout in this vertical. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Drink now through 2038. 4,200 cases made, 1,250 cases imported.

This is fresh, offering black cherry and plum fruit backed by great acidity, with lovely midpalate energy and ripeness, backed by a line of firm tannins for support. Shows fine concentration, harmony and length. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2024 through 2039. 4,100 cases made, 1,250 cases imported.

Still very fresh, powerful and solidly built, this opens with shy aromas of plum, blackberry, tamarind, spice and sanguine. Very complex, revealing terrific length, with some tannins yet to resolve. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Best from 2024 through 2036. 4,500 cases made, 560 cases imported.

This is advanced, with vestiges of sweet fruit, now tending more to leather, tobacco and spice, with light, dusty tannins on the dry finish. Broad, with some weight, but this is ready. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Drink now.

This has fine ripeness, showing plum, black cherry, tobacco, iron and wild herb flavors. There's more density and structure than with the 1994, and this is also very fresh, with a good tannic backbone. Offers excellent length and still has some room to grow. Sangiovese and Merlot. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Drink now through 2032.

There's a good color to this, brick at the edge. Offers a woodsy, licorice bouquet, with hints of mushroom, leather and spice. Still bright, though mellowing, this shows plum and cherry fruit, with fine structure and balance, backed by a clean, fresh finish. Sangiovese and Merlot. -- Brancaia Il Blu Non-blind Retrospective (January 2022). Drink now.