The tannins are rounded at the edges, making it a good wine to drink now. It doesn't have much aging potential, so don't hoard it. Serve it with grilled meats or even salmon. It's not as showy as the reserve wine, but I'd give it a solid grade of B. Fattoria dei Barbi is a heavy hitter with its Brunellos, but the 1997 Rosso di Montalcino is a delightful bargain. It's an earthy, medium-bodied wine that will pair nicely with stews or a red sauce with a spicy kick.
Decadent splurges come to mind.
Last but not least is a wine from the Maremma, a little-known coastal part of Tuscany that produces delicious wines. I like this wine with duck liver pate. When the Brunellos and Super Tuscans are released later this year, I'm going to relish my stash of affordable, ordinary Tuscan wines from 1997, all of which happen to be quite extraordinary. The Net Net and individual artists and authors. Do not reproduce contents of this site without permission of The Net Net and the artist or author.