Valdicava’s 2006 Rosso di Montalcino is a very serious Rosso. Notes of scorched earth, tar, sweet dark fruit and smoke flow from its richly-textured, full-bodied frame. As it sits in the glass wild herb and tobacco overtones develop, giving this sweet, dense wine another dimension of complexity. This is one of the more large-scaled, structured 2006 Rossos readers are likely to come across. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2013. Once again proprietor Vincenzo Abruzzese has made one of the most concentrated Brunellos of the vintage. Still, the wines aren’t quite as extreme as in the past, when the Brunello was sometimes virtually black, as was the case with the 2001. According to oenologist Attilio Pagli, the saignees that were once common are largely a thing of the past, and today are used only sporadically in weaker vintages such as 2005. Yields are still a minuscule 20-25 hectoliters per hectare. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907