Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A complex red with floral, lemon-rind and candied-cherry character. It’s medium-bodied with juicy fruit, as well as plenty of dried citrus rind. Some sandalwood and dried-flower undertones, too.
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Wine Spectator
This red features an alluring mix of strawberry and cherry fruit combined with tomato leaf, eucalyptus and cast iron. Builds nicely on the palate to the long, complex finish. Dry, dusty tannins linger, along with fruity and savory echoes. Best from 2027 through 2043.
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Vinous
Dried black cherries and crushed plums mix with cocoa, sage and dried orange peels as the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino emerges from the glass. This displays incredible vibrancy within. It’s juicy and spry, with ripe red and black fruits elevated by brilliant acidity as nuances of sour citrus add further tension toward the close. The 2020 leaves the palate stained in primary concentration and a coating of fine tannins, tapering off spicy and long yet still lively as hints of tart raspberry keep the mouth watering for more. Recent vintages from Pian delle Vigne have delightful new energy and verve.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a saturated magenta/red color and is generous on the nose with notes of mixed berry compote, licorice candies, leather, and mocha. It fills the palate and has well-defined broad shoulders, with chalky tannins and a grounding mineral texture. A red consistent with what lovers of these wines can expect, it should have another 10 years ahead.
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.