Winemaker Notes
This wine is a deep and intense ruby red, opening with floral notes of heather and strawberry tree, followed by soft and spicy hints on the palate and layered dark berry flavors, offering a concentrated and savory profile that is balanced and well-structured with fine-grained tannins, pronounced freshness, notable mineral undertones, and a long, persistent finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a medium red hue, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino shows more depth at first impression, with darker cherry fruit, licorice, and deeper mineral tones on the nose, while still holding onto terrific clarity. The palate is medium to full-bodied and long, with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity, and a salty finish that stays focused and energetic without drifting toward oxidation. It’s showing beautifully today and should drink well for 15-20 years. Drink 2026-2046.
Rating: 96+ -
Decanter
The olfactory silhouette opens on notes of dog rose, cherry, undergrowth. A typically Sangiovese texture with pulpy, full fruit and slightly tense tannins, countered by contrasting freshness and a compelling finish. Two distinct plots for seven hectares under vine: north-east in the Le Chiuse area and south-east of Montalcino in Podernovone (where the winery is located).
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James Suckling
Balsamic and complex profile to this wine. The nose exudes dried flowers, licorice, raspberries and redcurrants. Very crisp and juicy, with full body and bony, chalky tannins due to its youth. Yet, it’s sweet and balanced on the finish. This needs a bit of time for better integration, yet it’s a gourmet wine with very good substance for the long haul. Best after 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is balanced, finely textured and shows smooth consistency over the palate. There is a lot of life in this vibrant Brunello. Red and purple fruits segue to sweet earth and iris root. I especially love the mouthfeel achieved here. It's that combination of richness and extreme silkiness that sets it apart.
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Vinous
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino entices with a seductive bouquet of crushed cherries and strawberries elevated by hints of mint, cedar and saddle leather. This is a more graceful and elegant style, with medium-bodied textures and pure wild berry fruit notes that ride a wave of brisk acidity. The 2020 echoes with nuances of licorice and blue and purple inner florals while leaving a subtle coating of fine tannins that frame the experience quite nicely.
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Wine Spectator
A core of pure cherry and plum is framed by mineral and wild herb flavors in this rich, dense red. Harmonious and remains fresh and long, with the ripe fruit leaving a lasting impression. Shows fine intensity.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.