Bruno Besa, Andrew Jefford, Michael Palij MW, Anthony Rose review the wines of the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino vintage.
2020 Brunello di Montalcino: Mixed results
San Polino Brunello di Montalcino Helichrysum 2020 (14.5% ABV) |96
MP | Complex, delicate, and floral, with notes of rosehip, mineral oil, biscuit, vanilla, cedar, incense, blackberry, blackcurrant, prune, and plum. This complexity moves across to the palate, with layers of ripe red and black fruit supported by both oak and the first inklings of tertiary character. Tannins are ripe yet assertive, with a pleasantly dusty authority that supports the baking spice, black fruit, floral, and earthy aromas. Both acidity and alcohol are in balance and add a backing note to this thoroughly enjoyable wine. 2029–36. | 96
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AR | Youthful ruby in color, this could only be Sangiovese when you smell it, the emphasis on freshness and fragrance and both fruity and savory notes; and the fruit, when you taste it, is very nicely done, medium- to full-bodied, showing character and a sinewy structure, combining nicely textured sour cherry with beautifully crafted supple tannins and real freshness, balanced in a well-proportioned wine that’s not trying too hard but convincing through its quality fruit and authentic style. 2025–35. | 95
Albatreti Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |94
MP | Perfumed and ethereal, with a huge array of absolutely textbook Brunello notes, including tinned strawberry, mineral oil, licorice, blackberry, cooked tomato, damp earth, and Darjeeling tea. The palate is equally impressive, with fabulous length driven by red and black fruit but also joined by rose petal, licorice, cedar, and wet leaves. This sets a marker for the vintage and shows complexity, length and perfectly judged use of oak. 2027–35. | 98
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AR | Medium youthful ruby color, this shows attractive aromas, combining sweetly ripe cherry fruit and a hint of oak spiciness. That cherry fruit starts off sweet on first taste, soon turning to savory and dry, thanks to a medium-bodied structure of light oak, cleansing acidity, and nicely resolved tannins, all of which combine in an approachable Tuscan red that just misses out on the sweet spot you crave in a Brunello. 2025–32. | 89
Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli (14.5% ABV) |95
MP | An old-school blast of cedar, licorice, coconut, black cherry, menthol, blueberry, and pipe tobacco. The palate is more comprehensive and includes a huge array of red and black fruit, including cherry, strawberry, plum, blackberry, and blackcurrant, supported by nicely judged oak adding cinnamon, caramel, and tobacco. The finish powers home for almost a minute, with nuanced fruit supported by fine-grained tannins and beautiful acidity. 2028–26. | 96
AR | A youthful deep ruby in color, looking very healthy in the glass. The aromas combine savory ripe cherry with a background hint of spicy oak, so even before you taste it, this has a polished feel to it; and that polish follows through when you do taste, with a volume of fruit weight in the mouth that shows impressive concentration, with a richness underpinned by mouthwatering acidity and tannins that grip and then slide across the tongue in seamlessly balanced unison. 2025–35. | 94
Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |94
MP | This shows a pronounced and obvious nose, with empyreumatic notes of coffee, chocolate, cedar, thyme, licorice, cooked plum, cherry jam, and woodsmoke. On the palate, it jumps into action with high levels of alcohol supported by a wealth of primary fruit aromas including cherry, plum, and berry. The oak adds secondary notes of cedar, clove, and cinnamon, and the finish is long, driven as much by alcohol, acidity, and tannin as it is by the weight of fruit. Drink now or keep—this is a real success in this vintage. 2029–36. | 97
AR | This is quite full and youthful in color for Sangiovese at this stage of its young life. I’m getting a kind of savory rather than a fruit character from the aromas, which are a little subdued; but the dark-berry-fruit quality on tasting is quite full and concentrated, not overly so, and the extraction level allows a certain seamlessness of texture, undercut by balancing acidity. I like this but not quite as much as I want to like it. Why? Because the finish is drier than I would have hoped for. 2025–33. | 91
Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |94
BB | Garnet to pink. Clean, small red fruits, hints of orange and grapefruit, herbal, but still a touch closed on the nose. A compact, youthful, layered, complex palate, with sweet red and black fruits, citrus exuberance, and an herbal character. Super-long and lively finish. 2028–40. | 95
AJ | Dark black-red with garnet glints. Very warm but in the best sense: giving, generous, the soft fruit notes brimming from the glass, but without any burned or tarry/piney notes. Sweet tender fruits and soft leather. Intense and pure, with a gathered force not at all common in this vintage. Concentrated but subtly so; the harmony is a more important part of its personality. Teased ripeness, quietly singing fruits, and better tannins than many. 2025–35. | 92
Innocenti Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |94
BB | Garnet to pink. Lively, complex, inviting nose, with small red fruits, tobacco, and cedarwood. Medium to full body, with a layered mineral character on the palate, firm yet fine tannins, lively acidity, and a long, spicy finish. This is a great Sangiovese for medium-term aging. 2026–35. | 95
AJ | Clear, deep black-red. Warm and almost resinous, but backs off at the last moment and it is really roasted fruits that sing from the glass. This has an almost Merlot-in-Pomerol-like ripeness that I love, though its fruited restraint and aromatic worry lines tell us that it is indeed Sangiovese. I suspect that this wine’s sweet, lush ripeness won’t be to everyone’s taste, but there is a huge amount of pleasure for the taking here, which is a real triumph for this exceptionally difficult vintage. A generous, laid-back, and flamboyant 2020 Brunello, which will provide ample medium-term drinking pleasure. There’s absolutely nothing “difficult” about this amiable and enjoyable wine—and the terroir genes bring their own complexity, of course. 2025–33. | 92
Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli (15.5% ABV) |94
MP | The hallmark of this wine is the herbaceous note of tomato leaf, cut grass, and red apple that doesn’t seem to have much resemblance to Brunello. The acidity is very high, suggesting a more northern subzone, but the tannins are very fine. Although this is as elegant as Brunello can get, it doesn’t quite showcase the power and intensity that the DOCG should have. 2027–32. | 92
AR | This is a very deep youthful ruby in color, and at first nosing there’s the unmistakable whiff of classy (after the watershed, I think we can say sexy) French barrique oak, with all the sandalwood spice and vanilla that it brings; the only question is, Is it in balance, or is it too much for the fruit? And? No, because that dark-cherry fruit is itself so richly concentrated and opulent, the oak spice brilliantly complementing the fruit to produce a classic and classy Brunello that’s only just getting into its stride. I’ve been waiting a while to say this is the business—but this is the business. 2025–40. | 95
Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |94
MP | Pronounced nose, showing obvious oak influence, including hazelnut, coffee, dark chocolate, and licorice notes. Sangiovese is here as well, with earthy notes, strawberry jam, raspberry, redcurrant, and blueberry jam. In the mouth, it’s assertive, with high alcohol that the acidity struggles to handle. It’s long, complex, and very powerful—Brunello comes no larger than this! 2027–33. | 94
AR | This is medium-ruby in color and beginning to show early signs of evolution; it’s pleasantly fragrant, with Sangiovese typicity, not super-intense but quite inviting. On tasting, there’s a very attractive flavor and richness of texture, bolstered by ripe, resolved tannins that bring a light grip to the structure, while the underlying acidity acts as ballast to bring balance to a very likeable Tuscan red with medium-term aging potential. 2025–33. | 93
Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino VV (13.5% ABV) |94
MP | Powerful and dramatic on the nose, with black cherry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, and cedar, then a wonderful palate that manages to juxtapose huge amounts of tannins with fresh acidity and a wealth of ripe fruit. A superb example. 2029–36. | 96
AR | A youthful mid-ruby. The spicy, fresh fragrance of this wine, with a smidgeon of herb and vanilla oak, is expressive and inviting, and there’s a really nice delicacy of texture as the cherry-fruit sweetness veers to sour and savory in classic style. This is a wine that is not trying too hard but is comfortable in rendering the terroir of Montalcino in a balanced and delicate way. It turns to savory on the finish and will not please drinkers of big, oaky Cabernets, but who cares? 2025–33. | 91
Antinori Brunello di Montalcino Pian delle Vigne (14% ABV) |93
BB | Garnet to pink. Still a touch closed on the mineral and spicy nose, with black-fruit, smoke, and leather undertones. A mature yet lively and mineral palate, with clean red and black fruits, crushed stones, fine tannins, and a long, salty finish. A classy Sangiovese for the cellar. 2026–38. | 95
AJ | Dark, limpid black-red. Lively and a touch livid: bright, pungent, characterful, with a touch of rubber and tar, as well as the ripe fruits. I’ll give this time in the glass and take a second look. Five minutes later, it’s actually very much the same—that is, an articulate and in many ways attractive nose, but with a few internal discords. In some ways, these add to the intrigue. Clearly a very good wine here, with much more breadth and dimension to it than is true for many of its peers. Overall wealth of flavor, ripeness, energy, acid/tannin balance, finish, and follow-through are all excellent. Deserves a good score, despite my reservations about the aroma. This will make terrific drinking. The rubbery aromas are a shame, and when I go back an hour later, they are still there. 2026–36. | 90
Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino Campo Marzio (15% ABV) |93
MP | Richly aromatic and ripe, with a huge spectrum of aromatics, this offers black cherry, black plum, mineral oil, coconut, clove, cinnamon, tar, and incense. In the mouth, this is equally engaging, with a huge spectrum of flavors that include cherry, tobacco, berry, and currant, allied to vanilla, coconut, and cedar. This has complexity and drive. 2028–33. | 94
AR | This is almost suspiciously dark in color for Sangiovese, and that also shows in the ripe, sweet, and oak-spicy plumminess of aroma… It makes you wonder, Is this going to be delicious or overripe? And while it is ripe in its fruit flavors, it is not overripe, and that cedary oak-spice element integrates quite nicely into the wine, albeit perhaps a tad international in style. So, the overall effect is of a well-made, modern Brunello, whose opulence is balanced by good acidity—a wine that talks a good talk. 2025–33. | 91
Martoccia di Brunelli Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |93
MP | Ripe red and black fruit including cranberry, strawberry, black cherry, and cooked plum are amplified by oaky notes including cedar, clove, and coconut. There’s a tidy core of solid fruit around which the high alcohol, assertive tannins, and bright acidity coalesce. There is excellent length, pushed along by notes of blackberry, black cherry, and coffee, with firm tannins suggesting good potential. 2030–35. | 94
AR | A healthy youthful ruby in color. The aromas are lurking in the background, brooding, authentically Sangiovese. There’s an attractive, fresh, and energetic fruit quality on tasting, a feeling that the texture of the dark-cherry fruit has been nicely rounded by big oak barrels, so there is a structure, and potential for aging, thanks to a refreshing twist of acidity and nicely resolved tannins. 2025–35. | 92
Tenute Donna Olga di Olga Peluso Brunello di Montalcino Le Cacce degli Amodeo (14% ABV) |93
MP | An obvious nose showing stewed black fruit and obvious oak notes. There is prune, fig, date, blackberry, and black cherry allied to caramel, toffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. This fleshy, generous red offers plenty of short-term enjoyment, while the mix of high alcohol, obvious oak, and very ripe black fruit can be appreciated for its charming immediacy. 2026–30. | 92
AR | Good, youthful ruby, just starting to shade to garnet. This shows an attractive, inviting fragrance, with lots of red berry fruit and a savory, herbal undertone. The immediate impact on the tongue is of sweet, ripe red berry fruit that caresses through the suppleness of its soft texture, a feeling that this has spent enough time in larger oak to soften down and even melt in the mouth in a sensually satisfying way. With a traditional feel in a positive sense, this is a what’s-not-to-like Brunello. 2025–24. | 93
Tenuta San Giorgio Brunello di Montalcino Ugolforte (13.5% ABV) |93
BB | Garnet to tawny rim. A touch closed yet super-elegant, refined, and spicy on the nose, with tobacco leaves, blood oranges, and dried herbs. Medium to full body, salty, with fine tannins, wild strawberries, and herbs, and a long, lively finish. 2026–35. | 95
AJ | A paler black-red than most of its peers; translucent. Sweet, delicate aromas of cherry and plum. Balanced, harmonious, comely, and teasing, though without many secondary complexities as yet. Very much as the aromas outlined on the palate. Gathered, taut, cleanly expressed, true to site and season. An excellent wine in context. 2025–30. | 90
San Polo Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi (14.5% ABV) |93
MP | Little to apprehend on the nose of this Brunello, though there are subtle notes of redcurrant, rosehip, cranberry, and tinned strawberry. The palate is equally discreet, with no obvious oak to occlude the fruit and a finish of surprising length, with redcurrant, cherry, white pepper, wet stone, and cedar. Although much less showy, the subtlety and balance are impossible to ignore—the finish is more than 30 seconds, and the fruit is sustained and supported by tannins and acidity. It will be fascinating to see how this develops. 2028–36. | 96
AR | Medium-ruby shading to garnet. This is a tad wan and shy in aroma, and when you get to the taste, it’s also almost savory before it’s fruity, a balsamic note seeming to supersede the fruit. That would be fine if you were drinking it with the right food, but a little more mid-palate sweetness of fruit wouldn’t have gone amiss. 2025–30. | 89
Vasco Sassetti Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |93
MP | Discreet and subtle nose, with strawberry, cherry, and redcurrant. The palate is dominated by the structural integrity of the acidity, which supports the redcurrant, strawberry, cranberry, and raspberry fruit. Oak is very much in the background here, and the fruit adds a reassuring layer of complexity. The acidity suggests a long life ahead of it. 2026–34. | 92
AR | Deep and dark in color. The apparent youthfulness here shows promise, and the fragrance—cherryish, lightly herbal, sweet—rather confirms that initial promise. There’s some full-flavored, opulently ripe red and dark cherry in the fruit, which halfway through the mouthful veers toward the savory, with some attractive balsamic notes buoyed by fresh acidity and extremely ripe (but not overripe) tannins that add to a silkiness of texture; the structure is there, however, for good aging potential. 2025–35. | 93
Sasso di Sole Brunello di Montalcino Sasso di Luna (13.5% ABV) |93
BB | Garnet to pink. Intense, complex, earthy, spicy, small red- and black-fruits nose, with tobacco leaves, smoked meats, and new leather undertones. Medium to full body, balanced with sweet black and red fruit, and a long, classy finish. Classic Sangiovese for moderate cellaring. 2026–32. | 94
AJ | Relatively dark-hued though nonetheless translucent. Warm and expressive, with ample secondary complexities of oak copse and humus, warm bark and warm stone. Lovely. Deep, pure, and expressive on the palate, too, with some of the grace and harmony that elude other wines. Concentrated and long, and very classical; a little sterner toward the finish. Impressive wine. Just a touch raw finally on the aftertaste, as the vintage leaves its stamp. 2025–32. | 91
Talenti Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |93
MP | Scented, elegant, and delicate, this sandwiches the fruit and oak rather nicely with layers of flavor and a long finish. 2028–36. | 96
AR | Medium-ruby hue, showing some evolution in the glass; a tad shy but fresh and bright when you nose the wine; the medium-bodied, cherry-sweet fruit is immediately approachable, thanks to a nicely juicy texture and good, refreshing acidity. 2025–30. | 89
Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Piero (15% ABV) |93
BB | Ruby to garnet. Complex, youthful, red- and black-fruits nose, with crushed stones and dried Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full body; a tight, clean, exuberant, red-fruit palate, with a long, salty finish. 2026–38. | 95
AJ | Very dark for the vintage, with some opacity at the wine’s core. Ample spice, red fruits and lemon zest: an exciting and energetic aroma, with the disconcerting urgency of the vintage to it. Concentrated, bright fruit drives the palate, in all its elemental freshness. Intense and striking. 2026–32. | 90
Terre Nere Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |93
MP | Pronounced nose of tertiary character, with pipe tobacco, walnuts, caramel, and forest floor twinned with blackberry, cooked black cherry, plum, and dark chocolate. This follows through to the palate, where the oak influence becomes more evident, with clove, cinnamon, and coconut all sharing the limelight with the black-fruit notes. Structurally, this has the necessary rigidity to improve, and time will see more complexity emerge. 2028–34. | 93
AR | Medium ruby in color, just starting to shade to garnet. This has a nicely typical traditional feel to the aromas, with savory notes of balsam behind the red fruit. There’s a traditional feel to the fruit, too, in a positive way, a beguiling mid-palate fruit sweetness that lingers for a while before that background balsamic note blends in behind the red fruit. It feels as though it’s spent a while in large oak casks, because the tannins have calmed down, but the balance of acidity remains. 2025–33. | 92
Argiano Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |92
MP | Perfumed and delicate, with notes of rose, violet, honeysuckle, and jasmine. There’s also redcurrant, cherry, and red apple. This cool-climate nose follows on to the palate, with bright acidity and notes of cranberry, redcurrant, and strawberry. The oak influence is balanced by both the acidity and the weight of fruit, and the finish is long and complex—it lacks only the solid core of fruit that Brunello needs to age. 2026–30. | 94
AR | Medium-ruby in color, this is bright and pleasantly fresh and aromatic, with clear Sangiovese/cherry fruit notes. The fruit, when you taste, has an appealing berry sweetness and freshness, too; it’s on the delicate side, the tannins soon kicking in and the acidity underlining what amounts to a perfectly good, bright, balanced food wine that’s just a tad light on mid-palate satisfaction. 2025–32. | 90
Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli (15% ABV) |92
MP | Rich and aromatic, with notes of black cherry, black plum, licorice, and sweet spice. The high alcohol drives the finish home with conviction and showcases the perfectly ripe fruit. 2027–33. | 94
AR | Mid-ruby. Pleasant Sangiovese aromas of ripe cherry and berry. This is bright, quite robust, and tight in texture; good dark berry-fruit quality, sinewy, with a nice combination of ripe fruit and savory elements. Good energy going on here, still bright and youthful, with time to go, the savory and fresh acid elements making this very much a food wine. 2025–32. | 90
Capanna Brunello di Montalcino Nicco (14.5% ABV) |92
BB | Ruby to garnet. Intense, compact, and complex nose, with black and red fruits, new leather, tobacco leaves, and dried herbs. Medium to full body; clean, layered black and red fruits; big yet super-fine tannins. Long and classy finish. 2028–40. | 96
AJ | Dark black-red; bright and translucent within that spectrum. A gruff sweetness that almost has a green note inside it, as if there was a little mixed ripeness here. Attractive for all that. Dense and grippy, and to be truthful I don’t find anything unripe on the palate. Sound, dense, and concentrated wine, with the elemental, challenging quality of the vintage to it. Austere but concentrated finish. 2026–32. | 88
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino La Casa (14.5% ABV) |92
MP | This wine shows a leafy, herbaceous interpretation of Brunello, with wet stone, tomato leaf, rose, violet, and thyme alongside blackberry, redcurrant, and biscuit. The palate is broadly aligned with a focus on eucalyptus, redcurrant, earthy notes, cooked plum, and baking spice. Although well balanced with ripe tannins and firm acidity, the wine lacks the concentration necessary to move it through the ranks. 2028–34. | 92
AR | This is showing a good depth of youthful ruby in the glass. A touch herbal in aroma, with dark, brooding fruit in the background, but there’s some attractive, ripe, sweet-cherry fruit on approach, and it’s fresh and juicy in texture at the same time. Showing well-handled extraction, the tannins are lightly grippy but soft ,and in tune with the general idea of a well-made, modern wine with no hard edges. Fresh and approachable now, this elegantly styled red has much to commend it. 2025–33. | 92
Cortonesi Brunello di Montalcino La Manella (14% ABV) |92
MP | The pronounced aromas of this wine suggest hotter growing conditions, with stewed red and black fruit including cooked plum, morello cherry, tinned strawberry, black pepper, and cinnamon. The finish is unapologetically generous and fat, with high levels of both alcohol and oak that create an easy-to-love style of Brunello. There’s plenty of fruit here to satisfy the hedonist, and just enough structure for the purist. It finishes with notes of black cherry, black plum, licorice, cedar, and coconut. 2026–30. | 93
AR | This is fairly deep and youthful in color, but not giving away much by way of aroma. It’s quite attractive on first taste, the sweetness of dark-cherry fruit making a positive impression, even if accompanied by a fairly hefty level of extraction that’s slightly drying. It’s nonetheless quite an honest wine, whose savory elements combine on the finish to make it very much a food wine. 2025–33. | 90
Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |92
BB | Ruby to garnet. Open, spicy nose, with vanilla, black and red fruits, and orange peel. Lively yet a touch simple on the palate, fairly well balanced by the lively acidity, firm tannins, and bright red fruit. Needs time to show its best. 2026–30. | 92
AJ | Deep garnet; clear and translucent withal. Warm, savory, and sweet: curranty fruits, vellum, and some dried herbal notes, too. A complex and finely constructed aromatic profile here, with very well-judged ripeness. Supple, pure, almost milky, beautifully evolved, already with secondary flavor notes. A subtle landscape painting in a glass. A finely composed wine from excellent raw materials, and you won’t have to wait long, either, for this to be at its optimum. 2025–33. | 91
Poggio Il Castellare Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |92
MP | An expressive nose, with dominant notes of baking spice from oak, including cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and clove. Beneath all this, there is blackberry, mulberry, and plum. The nose evidences a generous dollop of oak, and the palate confirms this, with aggressive tannins that coat the mouth and leave little room for the fruit. It finishes with a drying sensation, and this obscures the best of the black cherry, plum, and eucalyptus that unfold on the finish. 2027–32. | 91
AR | Medium-ruby in color, and it looks quite youthful in the glass. This is the first of ten wines so far tasted in which the new oak (barrique?) dominates the aromas of fruit, which somehow turns into a kind of balsamic feel; I actually quite like it, but does the wine stand up in the glass? To an extent it does, and one or two glasses could be quite delicious, with all that sandalwood oak spice adding an international dimension of sorts. In the long run, though, the oak still dominates the underlying fruit, which is struggling for air, and while I could drink a glass or two now, I couldn’t drink a bottle, let alone a case. If I had a case, I would leave it in the cellar for ten years. And might then cash in. 2025–35. | 92
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino (13.5% ABV) |92
BB | Light ruby to garnet. A touch closed on the complex, inviting mineral nose, with crushed stones, prunes, red and black cherries, smoke, and leather. Medium to full body, balanced with fine tannins, rich with black and red fruits, long, with a lively, salty finish. 2026–34. | 94
AJ | Translucent black-red. Subtle, refined, and intricate: excellent aromas here, with plenty of secondary complexities already. Long, expressive, and beguiling. Mid-weight, concentrated, long, with exemplary élevage and plenty of the wealth that eludes many in this vintage, yet none of its awkwardnesses either. The vintage has been very well read here. It’s not a great Brunello, perhaps, but it will bring good short- to medium-term pleasure. 2025–31. | 90
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |92
BB | Deep core to a garnet rim. Mature, spicy nose, with leather, cedarwood, black and red cherries, and forest floor. Medium to full body, with fine tannins, mature black fruits, and lively acidity on the finish. Generous Sangiovese for medium-term cellaring. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Deep black-red; translucent, but only just. Warm, ripe, and opulent, but neither excessive nor exaggerated. A lovely nose in new-wave style, with none of the “mixed ripeness” problems that beset so many of the other wines. Dense, lively, and searching on the palate, with concentration and well-judged ripeness. I’ve written “new wave,” but now I’m wondering if the truth in the end is that it’s just much less evolved than other classical peers. Anyway, forget this theological discussion—the point is that you’ll find a wine of significant generosity, drive, length, and articulacy here. It still has the odd awkwardness and rawness of the vintage to it, but it’s one of the best, given all of that. 2026–36. | 92
Sanlorenzo Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |92
MP | Very attractive nose, with raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant, and rhubarb. There is a Pinotesque character here that hints at future greatness. The palate is similarly complex and ripe, with subtle oak influence and lovely length. There are the famous Brunello tannins and fresh acidity showcasing the bright fruit and layers of flavor that unfold. A tour de force, with structure and fruit aplenty, which will ensure continued evolution. 2026–32. | 95
AR | Medium-ruby in color—then a slight herbal and light cherry note in the aroma. This is a more delicate style of Brunello, neither exactly modern nor traditional, light on its feet, attractively elegant and bright, for lovers of the more medium-bodied style of Brunello, texturally juicy, bright in berry fruit, herbal infused. But—and there is a but—I would put it closer to a Rosso than a Brunello, only because it just lacks that extra intensity that I would have liked to see. 2025–30. | 89
Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |92
MP | Quite a simple nose, offering tinned strawberry, raspberry, licorice, cedar, clove, ginger, tobacco, and wet leaves. In the mouth, this gives a huge diversity of primary and secondary flavors, suggesting that the oak is well played and supports the fruit. This shows fine persistence, with gently drying tannins supporting ripe fruit, layering cherry, berry, and currant over vanilla, cedar, and licorice. One for the cellar. 2028–35. | 95
AR | Medium ruby in color, this is pleasantly spicy and cherryish in aroma; and when it comes to the tasting, there’s a certain amount of bright raspberry and cherry fruit on the mid-palate. This is sustained for only so long, before turning to savory, the main positive element being a pleasant juiciness of texture that makes this wine nicely approachable. 2025–30. | 89
Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |91
MP | Subtle notes of red and black fruit intermingle on this beautifully poised Brunello, with layers of fruit and oak. Long and refined. 2026–31. | 93
AR | This is quite dark and youthful in color. It shows a modicum of Sangiovese character in its aromas, but when you taste, the immediately pleasant sweet cherry soon disappears into the background, leaving you with tannin and acidity but not a whole lot more. 2025–30. | 88
Capanna Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |91
BB | Garnet to pink. Intense, pretty, elegant, red-fruits nose, with a lively, herbal character and hints of blood oranges and sea salt. Medium to full body, with fine tannins, layered red fruit, and a fairly long, herbal finish. Quality Sangiovese for medium-term cellaring. 2026–34. | 94
AJ | Deep, translucent red-black. Ample ripeness, here; even a note of jammy sweetness. Redeemed, though, by some twig and underbrush complexities. Concentrated, but a wine without a lot of mid-palate wealth; it’s all acid strike and grip, and the overall effect is rather austere and forbidding, despite the palpable ripeness evident on the nose. A puzzle. Lots to get stuck into, for all that. 2025–32. | 88
Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |91
BB | Garnet to pink. Lively, high-tone aromatics: small red fruits, hints of dried flowers, and orange peel. Sweet, red-fruit, mature, clean, layered palate, a touch overripe on the finish. A generous, well-made Sangiovese for medium-term aging. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Dark black-red. Warm, soft, savory, and earthy, almost truffle-sweet: very attractive. Harmonious and serene in style. Fresher than I expected on the palate, with structuring acidity having the upper hand over texture, but this throws the wine’s fruit quality into the foreground—and it’s good: sustained, bright, long, and energetic. Concentration and that energy suggest that this has good medium-term prospects. 2025–35. | 90
Casisano Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |91
MP | Pronounced nose, showing sandalwood, incense, licorice, sawdust, cinnamon, cooked plum, blackberry, tar, and blonde tobacco. In the mouth, this develops well, with surprisingly brisk acidity to balance the ripe, assertive tannins and warming alcohol. Persistent notes of cool red fruit including cranberry, redcurrant, and strawberry support the oak and tertiary notes. Very easy to enjoy this exuberant and perfectly balanced style of Brunello. 2027–35. | 94
AR | Medium-ruby in color, still youthful and healthy looking in the glass. Quite brooding and shy in aroma, but at the same time fresh and inviting. The fruit here starts out with a certain suppleness of texture, without giving away too much in flavor; the mid-palate is honest enough in its Sangiovese flavors, but there’s a hollowness in the middle because extraction eats away at the fruit and leaves a certain joyless toughness and dryness on the back palate. 2025–30. | 88
Celestino Pecci Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Carro (15% ABV) |91
MP | Magnificent nose, showing tertiary notes, hints of forest floor, cooked plum, tinned strawberry, clove, cinnamon, toast, and hazelnut. The palate is expressive and expansive, with layers of both red and black fruit encompassing strawberry, black cherry, mulberry, mushroom, cinnamon, and tobacco. Here we see acidity and tannins working together to create the backdrop against which the fruit really has an opportunity to shine. Long and seamless, this exemplifies the very best of Brunello. 2029–35. | 97
AR | Mid-ruby and quite youthful in color. Apart from a hint of raspberry, this isn’t giving much away in its aromas, and when you taste the wine, the fruit is slightly foreshortened by its moderate tannic grip and decent acidity. Overall, rather lacking focus and definition, finishing on an unforgiving, bitter and dry note. 2025–28. | 85
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |91
MP | A simple and discreet nose, showing some primary notes of redcurrant, red cherry, Victoria plum, and cedar. The tannins are grippy and stringent and occlude the red and black fruit that needs to make its presence felt. The finish is simple and short. 2026–31. | 88
AR | Mid-ruby, starting to evolve to garnet at the rim of the glass. This smells of good, fresh, bright, classic Sangiovese; it’s a wine that makes a statement thanks to good concentration of dark fruit and plenty of cellar work aimed at bring out the best of the structure in the wine. There’s much to enjoy here, with plenty of sweet and sour cherry fruit, a fine textural quality underpinned by an energetic acidity, and all nicely balanced, with the oak contributing to a roundness of texture, not flavor, and structure. 2025–35. | 93
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino La Pieve (15.5% ABV) |91
BB | Garnet to ruby. Open, refined, complex nose, with small red and black fruits, spicy cedarwood, and dried herbs. Medium to full body, a layered palate with firm yet fine tannins, mature black fruit, and a long, herbal finish. 2026–35. | 94
AJ | Deep red-black; translucent. Sweet, fresh, lively, and warm: attractive, articulate, and tender aromas of soundly matured fruit. Just what you’d hope for in a glass of 2020 Brunello. On the palate, this is a little more acidic and elemental than I had hoped from the nose, but it will provide balanced drinking pleasure in the short to medium term. 2025–31. | 87
Il Grappolo Brunello di Montalcino Sassocheto (15% ABV) |91
MP | Compact and tidy, with blackberry, black cherry, vanilla, licorice, cinnamon, clove, and forest floor. Although still very closed and dominated by wood tannins at the moment, the finish unfolds and provides a backdrop of blackberry, Victoria plum, and incense. The fruit may struggle to eventually make itself heard above the oak, but it’s a modern interpretation of this legendary DOCG. 2028–35. | 93
AR | This is a medium-ruby in color, and with garnet at the rim of the glass, starting to show signs of evolution. You really need to swirl the glass to start getting much in the way of Sangiovese aromas, but they are there, if lurking shyly. And when you taste, there’s a pleasantly forward red-cherry fruit flavor there, in medium-bodied vein, albeit rather sooner pulled up than you might have liked, thanks to the tannins kicking in and drying a tad on the back palate. One for relatively early drinking. 2025–32. | 89
Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Poggio Doria (15% ABV) |91
MP | The nose shows a rich array of tertiary notes, including dried fruit, dark chocolate, woodsmoke, biscuit, ginger, and nutmeg. The great swell of oak continues on the palate, with moderate acidity and huge amounts of alcohol, sweet spice including vanilla, cinnamon, licorice, prune, fig, and tobacco. This is an early-drinking and accessible style of Brunello that will provide plenty of pleasure in the short term. 2026–30. | 92
AR | Youthful dark ruby in color. This is quite shy and brooding in aroma, albeit intriguing. There’s some attractive, ripe, cherry-fruit sweetness on the mid-palate; nice freshness, too, and just enough to hold your attention. Then the tannins show a degree of dryness and bitterness toward the finish, making what started out as a quite attractive red just a tad rustic and dour. 2025–30. | 89
Pietroso Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |91
BB | Deep ruby to pink. Rich, black fruits on the closed, dark nose, with some herbal and mineral undertones. A touch overripe on the palate, with black fruits and a fairly jammy finish. Maybe time will help, but it’s not an elegant wine at this stage. 2026–32. | 89
AJ | Densely colored, and with more youthful purple-red than most. A purposeful look in the glass. Much fresher fruits than most, with ample, sweet upholstery. Spice and dough behind the blackcurrant and plum: unusual but exciting. A small-barrel wine? The palate, too, suggests barrique, but this wine is impressive, clean, fresh-fruited, articulate, and expressive, with much better structure than many of its peers and with balanced acidity lifting and driving but not dominating the pure, pristine fruits. A success for the vintage, and no hurry to drink. Classical palates may jib at its style. Even so, it’s an excellent Sangiovese from the place above all others where this variety loves to grow, and it deserves a serious look on that basis. 2027–37. | 92
Ruffino Brunello di Montalcino Greppone Mazzi (14.5% ABV) |91
MP | This delightful wine shows a range of primary and secondary characteristics, encompassing black cherry, red cherry, cooked plum, licorice, tar, sandalwood, and baking spice. The finish is long and plush, with ripe black cherry, plum, and blackberry fruit supported by fine acidity and lingering tannins. It lacks the finesse and complexity necessary to move it into the next league. 2026–31. | 92
AR | Youthfully bright in color, this is fresh and bright in its cherryish aromas, and while you’re hoping for the same on tasting, there is some initial raspberryish sweetness—but it doesn’t linger long enough for the fruit element to be overtaken by some slightly bitter notes from the extraction. Although approachable rather than tough or tannic, it’s just a tad hollow on the mid-palate. 2025–30. | 89
Salvioni La Cerbaiola Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |91
BB | Bright garnet to pink. A touch closed on the restrained, elegant, mineral nose, with cedarwood, small red fruits, and tobacco leaves. Layered, firm palate, with mature fruit, lively acidity, and inviting red apples and blood oranges on the finish. 2026–35. | 94
AJ | Dark black-red; translucent. Generous but rustic aromas, though not in any way faulty or forbidding. A country charm. This actually clears with air and the aromatic profile becomes more classical, though not particularly complex or fine-grained. Good concentration here, and generous fruit. A solid and welcoming Brunello without excess or notable refinement. I like the ripeness level here very much, though. 2025–31. | 88
Scopone Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |91
BB | Garnet to pink. A touch closed yet refined on the nose, with cedarwood, small red fruits, plums, prunes, black truffles, and hints of road tar. Full body, with sweet, mature, black fruits, and fine tannins, if slightly overripe on the finish. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Translucently clear black-red. Earthy, composty aromas; softly attractive in the vintage style. This has much better wealth and dimension than many. The tannins are soft and unaggressive, and the acidity, while dominant, is not oppressive. A good wine for the vintage, balanced and intricate, but without any of the warmth, drive, resonance, or generosity one normally hopes for from Brunello. 2025–30. | 90
Voliero Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |91
MP | This shows simple red and black fruit, with a confected and very ripe fruit character, including obvious, jammy black fruit such as cherry, plum, damson, and fig. The palate is high in alcohol, with surprisingly accessible tannins and a broad streak of acidity. The finish lacks the power necessary to balance the structure in this Brunello. 2026–30. | 92
AR | Relatively dark and youthful in color, this couldn’t be anything other than Sangiovese when you sniff it: fragrant, with fresh herbs, cherries, and berries to its name. It’s attractively forward, bright, and approachable in style, with a satisfying mid-palate red berry-fruit ripeness and good incisive acidity, veering towards the savory on the finish; nice wine, albeit more Rosso-esque than Brunello. 2025–32. | 90
Argiano Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Deep garnet to pink. Mature, black and red fruits on the generous nose, with plums, red and black cherries, cedarwood, and oriental spices. Full-bodied palate, balanced by the fine tannins and exuberant acidity, with a long yet slightly rustic finish. 2026–35. | 93
AJ | Dark, clear black-red. Sweet and unctuous, mushroomy—with some new oak? A touch of vanilla sweetness occludes the fruit somewhat. Lavish, sweet-edged, and rather assertive, though with impressive concentration. A showy wine but, for me, just a little indigestible. Time may heal. 2025–35. | 87
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Marrucheto (14% ABV) |90
MP | This nose shows simple, ripe, jammy and obvious notes of very ripe blackcurrant, black olive, sandalwood, black cherry, vanilla, coconut, and licorice. The tannins in this wine—largely derived from oak—dominate the palate and stop this wine from achieving a higher score. There is a core of obvious black fruit but it is subdued under the huge weight of tannins. 2027–32. | 90
AR | Medium-ruby. Lightly herbal, with a vanilla note from oak in the aromas. The first thing that strikes you on the palate is how attractively juicy the texture is, with supple tannins and juicy acidity making for a pleasantly approachable red, even if the fruit is on the light side and just a tad short on concentration. But it’s pleasant enough for short- to medium-term drinking, albeit finishing a tad on the short and charmless side. 2025–30. | 89
Podere Brizio Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Deep garnet to a pink rim. Mature, leather, tobacco, black-fruits nose, with road tar and forest floor, complex and refined. Medium to full body, with ripe yet pristine red and black fruit, lively acidity, and a long sweet-fruit finish. 2028–38. | 94
AJ | Dark black-red. A nose of mixed ripeness, typical for the vintage. Superficially attractive in a “fresh” style. Tobacco-juice notes afterward. Lively and vivid in tangy style. A fresh, slender Brunello for the short term. 2025–27. | 86
Tenuta Buon Tempo Brunello di Montalcino Oliveto p.56 2020 (14% ABV) |90
BB | Garnet to pink. Open nose, with black and red fruits, dried flowers, spicy, orange peel, and Mediterranean herbs. Mature, black-fruit palate, a touch unbalanced in its tannins, with a moderate, slightly rustic finish. 2026–32. | 90
AJ | Saturated, dark black-red; only just off opaque. Still quite primary here, with ample, chunky, almost juicy fruits. An exuberant and welcoming nose, though some notches short of sublime. On the palate, too, this is generously styled, with concentration; ample acidity and tannins for the vintage. It’s just a little abrupt, raw, and forceful in style, and hence low in charm. It isn’t going to let anyone down, though, and with a few years in the cellar (it’s young for its age), this may metamorphose and surprise. 2025–35. | 89
Caprili Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Garnet to pink. A touch closed on the nose, with red fruits, crushed stones, dried herbs, cedarwood, and some black-truffle undertones. Medium to full body, with fine, firm tannins on the clean, red-cherry palate, and a long, mineral finish. 2026–32. | 94
AJ | Clear, dark, black-red. Earthy and close-textured, with better inner ripeness than many; some superficial sweet tones that disconcert. Vivid and lively, with better fruit architecture than many. Nonetheless, acidity is still the dominant note here; the tannins are very soft, and the wine lacks inner wealth and generosity, alas. 2025–27. | 85
La Casaccia di Franceschi Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Garnet to pink. Mature, spicy, prune and black-cherry nose, with earth, smoke, and leather. Mature, black-fruit palate, with fine tannins, lively acidity, and a long, herbal finish. 2026–32. | 93
AJ | Dark black-red. Warm, earthy, enticing; some menthol among the red fruits. Deep and concentrated fruits, but very elemental, with pronounced acidity, without much resonance, and abrupt tannins. Impressive wine perhaps, but not very enjoyable to drink. Best in the short to medium term despite its concentration. 2025–31. | 87
Società Agricola Centolani Brunello di Montalcino Poggiotondo (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Garnet to pink. Mature, open nose, with black and red fruits, orange peel, vanilla, and tobacco, as well as complex, earthy undertones. Medium to full body, slightly jammy, black-fruits palate, with moderate length. 2026–32. | 89
AJ | Dark, purposeful black-red, though translucent. Delicate aromas, with some classical charm: fine-grained and allusive. Very good for the vintage, though (true to the vintage), if not sublime. Moreover, this wine gains in aromatic finesse with time in the glass. One of the wines with significant acidity, giving it ample brightness and movement of flavor, though in this case there are very good backing tannins, too. It has classicism and complexity, and is very well presented in the bottle just now in evolutionary terms. At the right price, a super buy for this mid-term vintage. 2025–30. | 90
Marchesi Frescobaldi Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino
(14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Bright ruby to pink. Clean, bright, youthful, red cherries, crushed stones, hints of road tar, leather, forest floor. Tight, lively, layered palate, with bitter cherries, blood oranges, and complex, mineral undertones. Super, well-made Brunello, to cellar for a few years. 2027–35. | 94
AJ | Dark, translucent red-black. Slight kerosene-like notes, with some pine resin. Brunellos can head off in this direction, it’s true, but there are finer aromas than this in our tasting. Still attractive, withal. Vivid, vibrant fruit and sustained, almost lemony acidity—but the kerosene and hot pine are a part of its identity on the palate, too. 2025–29. | 85
Giodo Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Bright ruby to pink. Youthful, clean, intense, bright, red-fruit and floral nose, with crushed stones, hints of spices and leather, and lively, citrus undertones. Rich, clean, cherry and redcurrant palate, fine tannins; a little overripe on the finish. Needs time to tame the youthful exuberance. 2027–32. | 93
AJ | Dark black-red; just translucent. Sweet, fragrant, and warm, with a high-summer charm to this aroma. A little sweet, by contrast, and without the complexity and secondary qualities of the best of its peers. Plenty to draw you into the glass for all that. Bright, fresh, taut, and lively on its feet, with the sustained acidity and almost crunchy fruit of the vintage. Zippy, zesty stuff. 2025–30. | 87
La Magia Brunello di Montalcino Il Ciliegio (15% ABV) |90
BB | Black core to a garnet rim. Ripe, black-fruits nose, with smoke, dark chocolate, and hints of road tar. Full body over ripe, black fruits on the palate, with a black-cherry jam finish. 2025–30. | 88
AJ | Very dark black-red—not quite as dark as a 2020 Bordeaux classed growth would be, but not far off. Gruff, with some sweet menthol and lots of attractive spice, too. I’m struggling a bit to see the fruit at this stage, though this is also a very attractive nose in intensely crafted style. Would I guess Brunello? Unlikely. Would I enjoy sniffing? Probably. And all of this on the palate, too. Excellent wine, however you look at it, which will last well and drink well in the medium term. But not at all classical. Fine concentration and excellent quality fruit—no qualms about the viticulture, which is first class. Super tannins for the vintage, too. 2026–36. | 91
Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Bright ruby to pink. Open, spicy, slightly decadent nose, with ripe black and red fruits, plums, as well as complex, earthy, mushroom undertones. Mature black cherries and prunes, but slightly green tannins, with a mineral, crushed stones finish. 2026–30. | 90
AJ | Dark-hued though translucent. Sweetly refined scents of perfectly ripe fruit, with an oak-copse complexity. Subtle, classic, and beguiling, though shyer than the best of its peers. On the palate, this is an excellent, classic Brunello in relatively severe style, but complex and long. Again the oak copse and the stony ground fill out the fruit background. Relatively light tannins but the acidity is balanced and measured; some classic Italian cleansing bitters on the finish. Very good for the vintage. 2025–35. | 90
Piombaia Brunello di Montalcino (13% ABV) |90
BB | Deep ruby to pink. Clean, ripe, youthful, bright, red-fruit, and salty nose. Medium body, clean, with fine tannins and a lively, red-cherry finish. 2026–30. | 93
AJ | Dark black-red. Soft, warm red fruits: gentle and comely. A simple, sweet, but genuine appeal here, with lots of cherry charm. This seems a sensible approach to this difficult vintage: a gentle, light touch. The fruit clearly has troubled and rather unlovely ripeness, but the balance is unobtrusive and the wine is accessible. As usual, there is significant concentration, but in this bizarre vintage it is almost a handicap, robbing the wine of the early drinkability it really needs. I feel the acidity will always be problematic. 2025–29. | 87
Sesti Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Garnet to tawny. Open, earthy, spicy nose, with black and red fruits, cedarwood, prunes, and orange peel. Medium to full body, with sweet black and red fruit, fine tannins, and lively acidity. Classic Sangiovese for medium-term cellaring. 2026–30. | 91
AJ | Dark, translucent black-red. Deep-fruited, harmonious, soft, resonant, and warm; very gentle and enticing aromas, with admirable classicism, too. Give it time in the glass, and you’ll find lovely, truffley sweetness and richness. A very giving glass of wine. On the palate, by contrast, it is a more acidic wine than I expected, without the same tenderness and softness that the nose promised. Brisk and bright, by contrast, but these masterful acidities and grunty tannins won’t necessarily make for easy drinking. Exciting and stimulating for all that—and well made. 2025–32. | 89
Tiezzi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Soccorso (14.5% ABV) |90
MP | More plushly upholstered than many, the nose shows obvious black fruit including blackberry, blackcurrant, and black cherry. The wood maturation contributes more vanilla, cinnamon, and tar on the finish, and the associated tannins provide astringency. The final impression is one of generous use of oak, and this contributes to the wine lacking balance. 2027–31. | 91
AR | Youthful in color, fresh and a tad herbal in aroma, this seems to presage a modern style of winemaking, with the emphasis on fruit. Certainly it starts out in that bright way, emphasizing freshness of dark berry fruit, with possibly some bunches picked a tad early to maintain freshness, but the trade-off is that the fruit lacks a degree of concentration and richness in the middle. Not hollow as such, but at the same time not as satisfying as it could be. Likable, yes, but more Rosso than Brunello for me, and I want more. 2025–32. | 89
Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |90
BB | Ruby to bright garnet. Elegant, refined, youthful nose, with red cherries, red apple skin, sea salt, and spice. Lively yet mature plate, balanced with fine tannins, bright red fruit, and a long, herbal, salty finish. 2026–36. | 94
AJ | Translucent black-red. Rather tinny, constrained red fruits, lacking freshness and resonance. With a sweet cast nonetheless. Tangy and light, though concentrated. Pungent and zesty in the short term. 2025–27. | 85
Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |90
BB | Deep ruby core to pink rim. A touch closed on the spicy nose, with ripe black fruits, including cherries, and road-tar complexity. Full body, with mature black fruits but firm tannins, well balanced by the lively acidity. Long and mature. Needs time to show its best. 2028–35. | 93
AJ | Dark black-red; only just translucent. Aromatically quite evolved, as if it had five years more on the clock than the vintage. A little dry and grassy in style, without the backing of fresh, ripe fruit that the best give. Ditto on the palate. This is tenuous and rather dry alongside the best of its peers, though still eminently drinkable. 2025–29. | 85
Lazzeretti Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |89
MP | The nose shows moderate intensity, with tinned strawberry, raisin, cooked plum, and white pepper. Firm acidity dominates in the mouth and robs this wine of the generous mouthfeel that we would hope to see at this level. A structured, compact wine but one that lacks the fruit intensity to balance the structure. 2027–32. | 88
AR | There’s some garnet at the rim of the glass, indicating early evolution, and you get a similar impression on nosing of the wine, which feels a little bit faint and weak in aroma. There’s some attractively ripe, sweet, cherry fruit on tasting, with decent grip and acidity contributing to the balance of a pleasant wine that’s already quite approachable but doesn’t appear to have the stuffing or structure for great aging potential. 2025–30. | 89
Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne (15.5% ABV) |89
BB | Deep core to garnet rim. Ripe black fruits, plums and blueberries, with raw meat, smoke and an earthy character on the nose. Ripe, slightly jammy palate, with firm tannins and moderate length. 2025–32. | 90
AJ | Dark black-red, just-off opaque. Sweet, warm, and resinous, but neither hot nor rubbery; softly spoken and attractive. A little char and menthol, but underbrush and oak copse, too. Ample concentration, wealth, and drive, though with a rather bitter, rasping finish that (perhaps unfairly) seems to be 2020’s punishment for those who made great efforts in the vineyard. This serious wine is definitely worth a look, but it isn’t much fun to drink just now, and I’m not convinced that time will heal. Some bitter notes to finish. 2025–31. | 87
Elia Palazzesi Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |89
MP | Interesting nose, with bread dough, toast, strawberry jam, morello cherries, and leather. The palate shows high alcohol and firm, ripe tannins that combine to drive the finish. Strawberry jam, raspberry, mulberry, and rose petal round things out, supported by clove and cedar. This muscular example of Brunello is ready to drink and offers a straightforward introduction to the region. 2026–30. | 89
AR | This is a forward, medium-ruby color, just starting to show signs of evolution. It does have that ring of Sangiovese red fruit about the aroma, but not in any particularly intense or Brunello way. And on tasting, it shows medium-bodied red-fruit flavor, with slightly drying tannins but good acidity. There is just a bit of abruptness to the fruit that gives it a rustic dry feel on the finish. 2025–30. | 89
Agostina Pieri Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |89
BB | Light garnet to pink. Aromatic and inviting on the nose, with small red fruits, blood oranges, herbs, spices, earth, and cedarwood. Medium to full body, with ripe black cherries and medicinal herbs on the palate, with a fairly long, spicy finish. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Light and translucent, with a paler hue than most of its peers. Dry, somewhat constrained aromas, which lack fruit freshness and lift (though are not actively unpleasant). Dry, slender, and slight. There is complexity here, however, and it may very well be a good site. Aesthetically, it is not a great success, but actually the wine has real interest because its concentration and grain suggest that the vineyard is a good one. 2025–30. | 86
Poggio dell’Aquila Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |89
MP | Discreet and delicate notes of rose petal, tinned strawberry, raspberry compote, and sweet spice, including nutmeg and clove. There’s a fine streak of acidity that helps drive the finish, along with a gentle hint of drying tannins that coat the mouth. Notes of wild strawberry, rose, and cedar all wrapped up in a package of considerable finesse. A textbook example ready for early consumption. 2027–30. | 90
AR | This is quite evolved already in its color, with substantial garnet showing at the rim of the glass. There’s a pleasant if somewhat unfocused aroma wafting from the glass, and the fruit itself, while fresh, is a tad hollow in the middle, thanks to a fairly hefty level of extraction in which the tannins are as yet quite tough and unresolved, and it’s not clear now which direction they’re going to take. 2026–30. | 88
Poggio Landi Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |89
MP | Pronounced nose, with tertiary notes of cooked black plum, coffee, licorice, dark chocolate, nutmeg, and cedar. The tannins are dominant on the palate, with a forceful, drying note that obscures the red fruit and delicate floral notes. This level of structure will struggle to resolve, given the level of fruit, but it will provide an enjoyable accompaniment a bistecca fiorentina. 2026–30. | 90
AR | Medium ruby and starting to evolve in the glass at the rim. This is a tad wan in aromas, quiet, without giving much away at this stage; my nose is saying, “I want more, please.” On tasting, there is some very decent red fruit going on to begin with, but it rather fades as the acid/tannin combo bites and takes over, and so the impression at the end of the glass is a certain chewiness rather than a feeling of satisfaction. 2025–30. | 88
Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |89
MP | This has a superb nose with aromas of tinned strawberry, redcurrant, red licorice, slight volatile notes, cedar, and cinnamon. This charming red offers plenty of length, lively acidity, fine tannins, and a grippy finish. Will be interesting to try again in five years’ time. 2028–33. | 93
AR | This looks quite forward in the glass, with quite a lot of evolved garnet color at the rim. Quite shy in aroma, not giving much away here. And when you taste the wine, it’s rather wan and pallid, prematurely aged, to reveal a lack of anything really substantial going on. It’s hard to believe this is only a 2020, and it seems to me to be a young fogey that’s been found out. 2025–27. | 84
Fattoria dei Barbi Brunello di
Montalcino Vigna del Fiore (14% ABV) |88
MP | A rich and rather obvious nose, with resinous notes of tar, creosote, licorice, cedar, and caramel. The fruit includes black cherry, plum, and orange peel. Less successful on the palate, this shows aggressive and spiky tannins that take over on the mid-palate and continue through to the finish. There are notes of tar, licorice, and cooked fruit, but the tannins from the wood influence leave the lasting impression. 2026–29. | 90
AR | Medium-ruby. There’s a hint of herb and pencil-shavings oak in the aroma, which is not altogether inviting, and the fruit itself is rather chunky in texture, with a hollowness in the middle where you’re looking for the fruit but finding it quite hard to come by. Finishing on a rustic note, it’s all rather dry and joyless. 2025–28. | 86
Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casaccia (15% ABV) |88
BB | Deep garnet to pink. Mature, earthy, smoked-meat, black-fruits nose. Full body, slightly green tannins, and moderate length. Maybe time will smooth the rough edges? 2026–32. | 88
AJ | Dark black-red. Unimpressive aromas, alas: hot, keroseney. The ripeness has got away here, somehow. Ditto on the palate, though the concentration is impressive, and there is, in fact, significant wealth of flavor, with some texture. The paradox of the vintage: Nature was generous, but the results, for whatever reason, don’t make for particularly enjoyable drinking. This is, though, a well-constituted wine that will last well, despite its stylistic imperfections. 2026–32. | 87
Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2020 (14% ABV) |88
BB | Garnet to pink. Clean and lively nose, with red and black fruits: red cherries, ripe plums; hints of leather and cedarwood. Medium body, ripe and salty on the palate, with fine tannins and a fairly long, herbal finish. 2026–32. | 93
AJ | Light and translucent garnet red. Earthy and warm, with a little nascent complexity though not a lot of glowing inner fruit ripeness. Slender and sharp on the palate, with a bitter, tangy finish. Concentrated but unlovely wine, at least for now. 2025–27. | 83
Castiglion del Bosco Campo del Drago Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |88
MP | Curious nose, with mineral oil, cinnamon, Parma violets, ginger, and dark chocolate all vying for attention. The palate is anchored to a core of astringent oak tannins, and the fruit fades quickly. This leaves a dusty finish, which lacks the layers of flavor and complexity one might reasonably expect from Brunello. 2026–29. | 87
AR | Mid-ruby shading to garnet. This is fresh and pleasantly fragrant, the fruit starting out nicely sweet, and invitingly so. Then, on the palate, as the tannins start to show, so does an element of bitterness (one or two unripe bunches?), providing a requisite accompaniment of freshness to the acidity, even if the overall effect is one of slight austerity by the time you’ve reached the end—an effect that could be modified with the right food. 2025–30. | 89
Patrizia Cencioni Brunello di Montalcino Ofelio (14.5% ABV) |88
BB | Deep garnet to pink. Open, spicy nose, with prunes, plums, earth, tobacco, leather, and cedarwood. Medium to full body, big yet fine tannins, sweet prunes and tobacco on the palate, with a long, herbal finish. 2026–38. | 94
AJ | Translucent black-red. A rather dry and reedy aromatic profile; disappointing. Slender, light, acidic wine. Sorry, but no—not for me. 2025–28. | 82
Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |88
BB | Deep garnet to tawny. A mature nose, with leather and tobacco, cedarwood, and forest floor. Medium body, with ripe, sweet black fruit, lively acidity, and a fairly long, refined finish. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Dark black-red, though just translucent now. Kerosene aromas: quite unattractive. Concentrated but very attacking, unlovely acidity. A wealth of flavor, thanks to the wine’s concentration, but in an unlovely and hard-to-drink style. 2025–27. | 84
Tenuta Luce Brunello di Montalcino (15% ABV) |88
BB | Deep garnet to pink. A touch decadent and overripe, with black fruits on the nose. Ripe black-cherry jam on the palate, with a moderate, clean finish. 2026–32. | 88
AJ | Clear and bright; relatively light in context. Grassy, slender aromas, though with a better fruit bass line than many. Some sustained cherry warmth. Lively, fresh wine, with excellent concentration—some good work here. Such a shame the vintage hasn’t delivered any inner warmth or resonance. But the concentration, style, energy, and panache are excellent. Some bitter notes on the finish. 2025–29. | 87
Mocali Brunello di Montalcino Vigna delle Raunate (15.5% ABV) |88
BB | Garnet to tawny. Open nose, with plums, prunes, cedarwood, vanilla, earth, and forest floor. Balanced palate, with inviting, ripe fruit, and a fairly long finish. 2026–32. | 91
AJ | Light and translucent in context. Dry and rather tenuous compared to the best of its peers. Not unattractive but light and grassy. Slender and acid-structured Brunello, though the wine is concentrated and still has a little of the wealth of infancy. Hurry along to drink while there is still that fruit to enjoy. 2025–29. | 85
Padelletti Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |88
BB | Garnet to pink. Intense, salty nose, with red fruits, dried herbs, and crushed stones. Medium to full body, with ripe yet youthful fruit, and a moderate, clean, red-cherry finish. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Light, translucent black-red. Reedy, dry aromas of almost-ripe fruit, but little else. Sharp, rather hard wine, which has concentration and drive but no inner charm or warmth. Attractive tannins… But without the carrying warmth of fruit, these are worth little, alas. 2025–27. | 84
Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino Paesaggio Inatteso 2020 (15% ABV) |87
BB | Garnet to pink. Youthful, lively, clean, salty, spicy nose, with red fruits. Ripe and inviting, salty, red-cherry palate, with a fairly long, exuberant finish. Well made, for medium-term aging. 2027–2034. | 94
AJ | Relatively light and translucent. Soft, tenuous, and reedy fruits, though articulate. An uncomfortably acid-dominated palate here, sadly. I couldn’t recommend this wine, I’m afraid. 2025–26. | 79
Poggio Nardone Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |87
BB | Garnet to tawny. Open, spicy nose, with leather, tobacco, plums, prunes, red cherries, and forest floor. Medium to full body, with ripe black fruits and a fairly long, dried-herbs finish. 2026–32. | 92
AJ | Dark black-red. Rather tanky and reduced, without much aromatic lift or grace. Unattractive aromas. Coarse and unattractive, gawky wine. Drinkable, nonetheless. 2025–28. | 81
Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino Casanovina Montosoli (13% ABV) |87
BB | Garnet to tawny. Ripe, decadent, earthy nose, with prunes, cedarwood, and dried flowers. Medium body, with green tannins and a short, lean finish 2025–28. | 84
AJ | Translucent deep red, with some tile and brick. Soft and mature, aromatically; you’d say it was absolutely fully ready now. Clean, well knit, and attractive in this style, however. No great aromatic detail, but ample nosefuls of mellowness and open, evolved fruit. Absolutely on the palate as the nose outlined: mid-weight, mid-concentration, on the slender style, but very enjoyable in the short term, and no qualms at all about style or truth to place. Admirably brisk tannins on the finish, but they aren’t forbidding, and the level of fruit concentration and ripeness still means that it will be best in the short to medium term. 2025–31. | 89
Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Lago (14% ABV) |87
BB | Bright ruby to pink. Refined and complex on the nose, with youthful, red fruits, crushed stones, sea salt, and blood oranges. Medium body, clean, with ripe red fruit, herbs, and a lively, long finish. 2026–32. | 93
AJ | Translucent garnet red. Grassy, though sweetly so, rather than drily so, thus “attractive” in a fresh style, if you have a taste for that kind of thing. Slender Brunello with some inner swing to it. The acidity isn’t excessive, and there are some tannins, though the fruit is very slender and without inner warmth. 2025–27. | 80
Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Doria (14.5% ABV) |86
BB | Garnet to tawny. Open, spicy, ripe, black-fruits nose, with smoke and forest floor. Medium to full body, slightly green tannins, yet a fairly long and herbal finish. 2026–32. | 90
AJ | Dark black-red; translucent. Sweet and warm, but a little dry, without much fresh-fruit intrigue. A reedy nose. The tannins are the best element of the palate, but the fruit is frankly disappointing, and I wouldn’t relish drinking this thin, bitter-edged wine, despite its concentration. 2025–28. | 81
La Poderina Brunello di Montalcino (14.5% ABV) |86
MP | The retiring nose shows the first hints of biscuit, sawdust, mineral oil, vanilla, and other wood-derived notes. The palate is well and truly dominated by the use of oak, which leaves the fruit struggling to find a voice. This is tannic and astringent, with an absence of fruit. 2026–28. | 87
AR | Medium ruby and starting now to shade to garnet. This is quite shy in aroma, but more to the point, it doesn’t really reach first base as far as the fruit on the mid-palate is concerned. Rather wan, pale, and slightly bitter, it lacks the element of enjoyment that good Sangio-based Brunello should be giving. Sorry. 2025–26. | 85
Sassetti Livio Brunello di Montalcino Pertimali (14.5% ABV) |86
BB | Ruby to pink. A slightly reduced and rustic nose, with black fruits and little charm. Better on the palate, with firm tannins and ripe black fruit. 2025–30. | 85
AJ | Deep, dark black-red; not yet opaque. One of the most densely colored wines in the tasting. Some new oak in the equation here, I’d say, sweetening the gruff fruits. Lots of Havana-wrapper complexities, too: This is truly like opening up a box of Romeo y Julieta. Unclassical but impressive. Concentrated and grasping on the palate, but laborious. One has to admire the effort that has gone into this wine, and if you are looking for an ambitious, concentrated wine made in new-wave style from 2020, it is certainly that. But I wouldn’t much enjoy drinking it and must score accordingly. Too many contours and edges, and not enough soft gentleness; too much winery and not enough vineyard. 2025–35. | 86
Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara
(14.5% ABV) |85
BB | Deep garnet to tawny. Slightly closed, ripe, earthy nose, with plums, prunes, and dried herbs. Quite jammy fruit on the palate, with green tannins and a rustic finish. 2025–30. | 85
AJ | Dark black-red; just translucent, but one of the deeper-colored wines in our cohort. Very sweet aromas of superficial attractiveness, without a serious fruit pulse beneath. A big drench of rather unattractive flavors, alas. Lots of concentration for all that. 2025–29. | 84
Poggio alle Forche Brunello di Montalcino Scarnacuoia 288 (13% ABV) |85
BB | Deep garnet to pink rim. Ripe, jammy, and a touch rustic on the nose, with black fruits and forest floor. Full body, overripe fruit, and a medicinal finish. 2025–28. | 84
AJ | Dark, dense black-red: one of the deepest wines in the whole tasting. Some sweet oak here: fruitcake and Virginia tobacco aromas. Striking and, in a way, beguiling, but unclassical and frankly odd. Very much as the nose suggested. A sweet, laborious, and wholly unclassical wine, which nonetheless has considerable concentration and depth of flavor. The sweet tobacco notes on the finish are marked, as is the sweet, almost raisiny fruit. Impressive but… 2026–32. | 86
Fossacolle Brunello di Montalcino (14% ABV) |80
BB | Garnet to pink. Ripe, earthy nose, with black truffles, black cherries, and smoked red meat. A challenging palate, with green tannins and a bitter finish. | 82
AJ | Dark black-red, just opaque at the core. Simple and rather tinny aromas; disappointing, alas. Tart and almost chemical. 2025–26. | 78
The following two wines were tasted, not blind, by Andrew Jefford only.
2019 Biondi-Santi (13.5% ABV)
AJ | Transparent garnet red in color. Impeccable savory refinement lifts from the glass prior to a swirl, with the fresh allure of moist grains and cut olive wood; some rose petal, too. Crushed almonds bring measured richness. Moving the wine in the glass unlocks redcurrant and pomegranate fruits, carried on that wave of almond and olive refinement. On the tongue, the wine is intense, fine-grained, drily penetrating, authoritative. The wine’s profile and silhouette come from its sustained and fruited acidity; the tannins are subdued. It’s a wine of teasing rather than ample ripeness, with great delicacy and grace. The aftertaste deepens the fruit profile (plum, rosehip), and adds notes of meat jus, root spice, and leather. Fine-boned to the last. 2026–38. | 94
2018 Biondi-Santi Riserva (13.5% ABV)
AJ | Alluring in the glass: deep, translucent garnet red with vermilion glints. Comforting, enveloping aromas of grand finesse and warmth: sunlit stones, dry moss, oak copse, tobacco barn, brushed suede. Singular serenity and assurance—though these aromas are so seamless, unruffled, comfortable and nourishing that you have almost to remind yourself to notice. With air, there’s a creamy pulse and a whiff of dried mushroom. The Riserva 2018 is intense and concentrated on the palate: bright fruits, but a dark undertow. Redcurrant and rosehip to begin with, then plum and dried cherry; finally, sloe. Drawstrings of acidity bring shape; the woodland tannins are everywhere but barely palpable, like pollen in the air. Classical, reasoned, and authoritative—a philosophical wine. Yet it does have a sensual side, too—a quiet amplitude and glycerol that give the wine breadth and stateliness. 2025–40. | 96 ▉
