605. Vecchie Terre di Montefili, Bruno di Rocca IGT Colli Toscana Centrale, 1997

£29; 13.5%

Served side-by-side with the 1998, with a tomato-based chicken main course, both showed Tuscan acidity and food affinity, but were distinctly different wines – albeit recognisably cut from the same cloth. The 1997 – perhaps as might be expected from a generally good-to-great vintage for the region – was richer, more powerful and more complex. Medium+ depth garnet. Intense, meaty, toasty-oak over black-cherry hints and leather-spice notes. Dark and brooding. Its meaty hints almost Sangiovese-like. Plum and sour cherry flavours, with clove touches. Rich but savoury palate with medium+ acidity and grippy tannin too. Long vanilla-sour cherry finish. Riper tannin would move this from good to great.