Winemaker Notes
This is the signature wine of the estate, obtained from the vinification of the best grapes coming from our emblematic vineyard, Vigna gli Angeli (Vineyard of the Angels), which was first planted at Colombaio in 1976. The selection of the grapes is severe and drastic until there is a yield per hectare equal to 40/50 quintals. The end result is an extremely complex wine, both in aromas where spicy notes and tobacco prevail, as well as in the very unique tannic texture. This wine is only produced for exceptional vintages and is destined for long ageing.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Subtle noes of red cherries, pepper, leather and cocoa powder wrapped up in fresh violets. Firm attack of extracted chalky tannins soaked in cherries, with a full body and refreshing acidity. Savory, fruity finish.
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Wine Spectator
This red is rich and generous for the vintage, offering cherry, plum and rose flavors that show light accents of earth and dusty herbs. Light tannins and lively acidity lend support, and this fades gracefully on the finish. Best from 2026 through 2040.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A saturated red color, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Gli Angeli takes on a supple and ripe profile with aromas of cherry pie, baking spices, sweet cedar, and crushed flowers. Medium to full-bodied, this continues to the palate with supple tannins, a delicately rounded mouthfeel, and a clean, lifted finish. It’s a very attractive wine now and should have an open window for drinking over the next 8-10 years, but it doesn't feel structured enough for the cellar much longer than that.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The La Gerla 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli shows warm-vintage characteristics with baked fruit and prune. Those mature fruit sensations feed nicely into the wine's medium-weight texture. The finish is not too long, and there is a dusty or brittle quality to the tannins that is commonly found in wines from the 2018 vintage. Only 3,775 bottles were made.
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.