Altesino 1999 Brunello di Montalcino

Oops.
We ate pasta tonight, and I just reached into the wine rack for any Italian wine. I grabbed a bottle and opened, not even realizing it was Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 1999 ($$$$$). Usually, we reserve the $150+ bottles for special occasions. I'll have to figure one out for this evening.
Wine Spectator gave this wine a 95, while Wine Advocate gave it a 91. These numbers don't come easily. This wine was sweet, with smells of Italian cooking herbs and a little bit of licorice. The body wasn't as bold as one would expect at this price point. This could be the result of cellaring for a little under two years, as initial reviews of this wine referred to a "ripe" smell that I didn't find. The finish was dusty and dry, but not suck-the-moisture-out-of-your-mouth dry.
I would recommend this wine to any with the budget and a proper cellar. Make sure the bottle you find comes from the bottom of the rack, and therefore not subject to light pollution.

Edit:
OK, so I felt bad that I reviewed a wine way out of anyone's price range (including mine), so I ran out and grabbed a '99 Brunello di Montalcino Vendemmia ($$). The wine was very similar, although the fruit was a little more strawberry and the tannins were somewhat grainy, to the point of actually feeling them along the tongue. The fine Italian cooking herbs were downgraded from "Nika's" to "Orange Street Market" (those of you from New Haven will get that).
I would recommend this wine to anyone who thinks I was crazy to open the first bottle.

Cheers!