While it is true that we consumers can get trapped by seasonal thinking when it comes to what we serve and when, there are some wines that just simply shine at certain times of year: like Brunello di Montalcino in December.
It makes one hell of a gift, it complements multi-dish feasts with family perfectly, and its deep brooding soul seems to match the ambiance ideally, whether that’s the warmth of holiday lights, a roaring fireplace, or (sure, why not) the glow of a Netflix binge-a-thon because its as cold as Siberia outside. Having this robust, stern-fruited, lavishly herbal, sometimes leathery companion in your glass is a win-win in December, and — let’s be honest — a merciful Dry January buster once the calendar rolls over.
Having this robust, stern-fruited, lavishly herbal, sometimes leathery companion in your glass is a win-win in December, and — let’s be honest — a merciful Dry January buster once the calendar rolls over.
All that said, of course we wouldn’t suggest limiting this wine only to the darkest days of the year. We would never say that. Brunello di Montalcino has always been meant for the cellar, where it can ruminate on polishing its edges and where those intense, complex flavors can be coaxed to the surface.
Throughout this year, I’ve been sampling a variety of Brunello di Montalcino, and these are the ones that have risen to the top. They are complimented by several from my colleague and collaborator, Scott Thomas of Grappolo Food & Wine School, who just returned from the annual Benvenuto Brunello event in Montalcino, where the upcoming vintage was previewed through a series of extensive tastings.
What follows below is a smattering of wines you can find now, and wines to look forward to. However, the main thing to note are the producers. We compiled this list also with consistency and reputation in mind, and we agree that these are not only some of the most exciting wines to buy now, but some of the best producers in Montalcino, as well.
A Note on Brunello’s Vintages
The disciplinare for the Consorzio del Vino di Brunello di Montalcino mandates the longest period of aging before release of any Italian wine: the annual wine (annata) must be aged four years with a minimum of two of those years in barrel, and a minimum of four months in bottle. Meanwhile, the riserva must be aged five years with a minimum of two of those years in barrel, and a minimum of six months in bottle. The earliest possible release date for new wines is January 1.
So, right now on store shelves in the United States, you will find the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, and the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva vintages. There may be some wines from the previous vintage still on store shelves as well, and certainly, well-curated wine lists will have wines from even earlier.
In the new year, you can expect to start seeing the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino wines as well as the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva wines.
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2018 Vintage: Brunello & Riserva
About Our Ratings
★★★★★ – The Top Tier
★★★★ 3/4 – A Thrilling Wine
★★★★ 1/2 – Solid and Recommended
★★★★ 1/4 – Average
★★★★ – Indistinctive
< ★★★★ – No Point in Writing About It
Learn more about the philosophy behind these ratings.
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vintage
The 2018 vintage — which is the current riserva vintage with still a few annata wines kicking around on wine lists and store shelves — is defined by elegance and grace because of cooler vintage conditions. “I’ve noticed a softer tannin structure with these wines,” noted sommelier Scott Thomas. “They are very approachable in youth.”
I found this congeniality to only apply to the annata wines. As you might expect, the riserva wines are still flush with youthful tannins and can feel a bit closed at this early stage, but all of them have an exuberance that is indicative of 2018.
2018 Pietroso Brunello di Montalcino
For a holiday gift to a friend, see if you can find the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★★) from Pietroso, a high-elevation winery whose wines are always highly expressive and graceful. Add a tag to this bottle that says “hold on to this one,” because for pure cellaring potential, it is magnificent.
There is a density to its aromas that is beautiful, and quintessentially Montalcino, but it will take some time to tease out all of the details. For me, its “raspy voice” recalled red cherries, orange peel and the scent of a cigar box, with just a tinge of blue flowers as well. It’s fine-grained and wooly tannins need some time to mellow, but this wine promises significant rewards for the patient. Can’t wait? Stretch out a bottle over a week or reach for the decanter. –Kevin Day
2018 Tenuta Buon Tempo “Oliveto P. 56” Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Another outstanding Riserva from 2018 that might still be on the shelves is Tenuta Buon Tempo’s 2018 “Oliveto P. 56” (★★★★ 3/4) which is already presenting a nice hint of tomato-stem aromatics to the parade of bittersweet cherry, orange-peel and leathery tones. But it’s this wine’s tannins — which have already polished a bit — that lend “Oliveto P. 56” a gracious openness to complement those stern flavors. In the end, this is what Brunello di Montalcino is all about — a chiaroscuro of sensations — and it’s all right here in this wine.
The name refers to this former olive farm’s original parcel of land devoted to vines, parcel 56, which makes these 1994-planted vines the oldest at the estate. –Kevin Day
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vintage
According to Thomas’ comparison tastings in Montalcino, the 2019 vintage — i.e. the current annata vintage, with its riserva wines hitting shelves after January 1 — feels fairly different between the two categories. This was a monster vintage, with a long growing season yielding massive phenolic ripeness and firm structure. Thomas felt that the 2019 annata wines are significantly more willing and forthcoming than the 2019 riserva wines will be. “Only a few of the riserva wines were showing their best just yet,” he said. “This riserva vintage will take some time to come around. But it appears to have great cellaring potential.”
2019 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino – Top Wine
Father-and-son duo Alessandro and Iacopo Mori make some of the most detailed and elegant red wines in all of Italy, and because of that, uncorking a bottle of Il Marroneto always feels like an event. Much of their craft comes from carefully managing a rotation of wine from botti barrel to botti barrel, a process Alessandro refers to as “seasoning” as though he were a chef (and his mentality is not that different).
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★★) has an easy grace to it: there is no suggestion that you have to wait years to taste what its got, but there is also no mistaking that it has muscles and endurance should you wait. Along with a flavor profile that includes such typical Brunello notes as dark cherries, blood orange and rosemary, there is a wide swath of earthiness in this wine that feels beguiling and unique. The tannins are fine-grained already, but so active and agile that you can’t imagine them dying off any time in the next few decades. Once again, a taste of Il Marroneto has me writing “one of the finest Sangiovese wines I’ve ever tasted” in my notes. –Kevin Day
2019 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Casato Prime Donne “Progetto Prime Donne” Brunello di Montalcino – Top Wine
One of the great estates in Montalcino has been — and continues to be — Donatella Cinelli Colombini, a winery that deserves praise not only for the poise of their wines, but for the progressive way they’ve fostered the careers of many female winemakers. Casato Prime Donne — Colombini’s Montalcino estate — has long had an all-female staff and, as a result, has served as an important incubator for talent.
“Progetto Prime Donne” is a singular selection of the best barrels on Brunello each year, as judged by Cinelli Colombini and a panel of all-female tasters that she assembles each year. With the 2019 Casato Prime Donne “Progetto Prime Donne” (★★★★★), I tasted suggestions of barely dried cherries, tomato leaf, smoke, citrus and dried herbs. Because of this, there is no mistaking this wine: it couldn’t be Chianti Classico nor even Rosso di Montalcino. It is the one, the only, Brunello di Montalcino. Generous and silky on the palate, it has milder tannins than most but they hang in there and get the job done, especially if you’re serving this wine with heartier fare. The 2019 is also not overly alcoholic (just 14%) which I really appreciate. You could hang on to a few bottles of this one, but pop and pour now? Sure, why not? –Kevin Day
2019 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Casato Prime Donne Brunello di Montalcino
If you can’t locate a bottle of “Progetto Prime Donne” as a gift, a bottle of Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s standard-bearer, the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★★) will most certainly do. Many of the same tasting notes apply here — only with seemingly sweeter cherry tones. However, this wine is a broader blend of plots and barrels, and it seems to have a bigger presence because of it, with woolier tannins more indicative of the 2019 vintage. Yet as much as I adored the “Progetto Prime Donne” (and would reach for it out of preference), I am assigning the same rating here because of potential. For me, only Il Marroneto’s standard-bearer matched this wine from the prospect of long-term aging with the 2019s. –Kevin Day
2019 Capanna “Nicco” Brunello di Montalcino
The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG may not be as thoroughly mapped and documented as the Barolo DOCG (at least just yet), but its terroir is certainly just as expressive, and like Barolo, vineyard positioning is everything.
For Capanna’s 2019 “Nicco” Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★ 3/4) — a single-vineyard selection — the terroir of the north-facing Montesoli area is on full display. Despite a hot vintage like 2019, the area benefits from significant nighttime cooling, which seems to be preserved in this wine’s abundant freshness and elegance. The acidity has a wonderful vibrancy and sleekness to it, while velvety tannins add a sense of poise. Memorable aromas of bright red fruits, violets, thyme and oregano shine throughout. –Scott Thomas
2019 Canalicchio di Sopra “Vigna La Casaccia” Brunello di Montalcino
So far, we’ve profiled the 2019s that demonstrated some modicum of finesse despite the long and hot growing season. But were there any with big alcohol that still held things together?
For me, the only wine that did was the 2019 “Vigna La Casaccia” Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★ 1/2) from Canalicchio di Sopra. Coming from a small plot near the winery that is predominantly planted in clay, “Vigna La Casaccia” clocks in at 15% ABV, and it certainly throws a strong right hook at first sip. I honestly couldn’t translate the wine easily on the first night, yet revisiting it two days later (recorked, lightly chilled, brought back up to temperature) showed considerable integration: classic Brunello di Montalcino flavors were complimented by a pleasant bitter note akin to espresso bean. And considering how persistent the finish felt, I changed my overall rating on this wine. If you like your Brunello di Montalcino to be burly, this applies. Definitely cellar at least five years or decant. –Kevin Day
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vintage
And now, for something to look forward to in the New Year: the release of both the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva and 2020 Brunello di Montalcino wines. The following were tasted at Benvenuto Brunello from the bottle.
Since we already covered the 2019 vintage conditions above, it is important to note that the Riserva category is often saved for more intense and expressive vineyard sites, or select barrels in the cellar that demonstrated the vintage in a heightened way. All that to say, deciphering vintage character and the personality of a riserva wine this early — especially with an intense vintage like 2019 — was tricky, but these wines were the clear standouts.
2019 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva – Top Wine
Judging the about-to-be-released riserva wines was the tallest order of Benvenuto Brunello. This vintage’s character, combined with the statuesque structure of this category by design, was leading me to feel like the best results are well down the road from now. These wines are still wound up, gritty and even a bit awkward in their tannin development.
And yet three of the very best wines tasted were 2019 riserva, starting with Poggio di Sotto’s 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (★★★★★), which was my top wine of Benvenuto Brunello. Several other attendees commented on its purity as well, which really stood out amongst the 2019 riservas. On the nose, delicate and subtle spice tones meshed well with perfumed florals and deep complexity, while a lush, voluptuous texture on the palate brought everything home beautifully. Poggio di Sotto remains iconic for a reason. –Scott Thomas
2019 Caprili “Ad Alberto” Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
One of Brunello di Montalcino’s most stringent adherents to tradition, Caprili has earned a passionate following from sommeliers and collectors in part because of the vinestock the Bartolommei family maintains in the Tavernelle sector of the appellation. Taking its name from the family patriarch from three generations, the Ad Alberto vineyard is a prime example, with most vines dating from a massal selection in 1965. In Montalcino, vines of this age and with this kind of genetic diversity are precious few, and the resulting wine is magnificent.
The 2019 “Ad Alberto” Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★★) is most memorable for its intense macchia aroma, the local term for resinous Tuscan herbs (think of how garrigue is used in the Southern Rhône and you get the idea). This is backed up by deeply concentrated red and black plum, hints of tobacco leaf, and then on the palate, quenching acidity and firm tannins that will bring this wine well into the future. This is a classic demonstration of the power and grace Brunello can achieve. –Scott Thomas
2019 Sesti “Phenomena” Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
“Be sure to taste with Elisa Sesti,” Kevin told me before the trip, and I’m so glad I did. One of Montalcino’s most distinctive estates, Sesti is a small, practicing biodynamic and organic farm centered on the 13th century Castello di Argiano in the southern portion of the appellation known as Sant’Angelo. From the beginning, Giuseppe Sesti insisted on preserving much of the surrounding forest, which his daughter, Elisa, is now steward of. This biodiversity is proving very beneficial as vintages trend warmer, for it preserves some of the coolness during the day and releases it over the vineyards at night. Mount Amiata stands at a distance to the south.
The family’s flagship wine is the 2019 “Phenomena” Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (★★★★ 3/4), and it underscores best what Sesti seems to cultivate all on their own — a certain texture that makes their Brunello stand out. The “Phenomena” is remarkably approachable right now given how the other 2019 riservas were showing, yet it seems to draw its power from its radiant acidity, while savory undertones lend a Mediterranean feel. Aromas of ripe red plum and hints of cigar box tobacco lead to muscular, chewy tannins. This will be a magnificent wine to chart its development. –Scott Thomas
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Vintage
The 2020 vintage will be known officially as “captivating, bright and succulent,” according to the Consorzio’s tasting panel, an assessment that Thomas largely agrees with. “This feels like an ideal vintage in that most wines have great aging potential, but also can be enjoyable upon release,” he said. “They are filled with ripe red fruits, floral aromatics, and supple, already-refined tannins.”
Here are the standout wines to add to your 2025 shopping list.
2020 Le Ragnaie “Passo del Lume Spento” Brunello di Montalcino – Top Wine
Another sommelier favorite is the estate of Le Ragnaie, which practically scrapes the clouds with its high-elevation vineyards in the heart of Montalcino. Their normale Brunello di Montalcino is always a highlight — and a workhorse from a by-the-glass standpoint — but the two single-vineyard renditions offer a thrilling contrast and demonstrate that Brunello can indeed be terroir expressive.
The 2020 “Passo del Lume Spento” Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★★) was the standout wine of the new-release 2020 vintage that is about to hit our shores. Hailing from one of Montalcino’s highest vineyards (at 2,037 feet above sea level, or 621 msl) which is also ensconced in forest, this wine is notable for its juxtaposition of succulence and earthiness. “Darn pretty” I wrote in my notes, with high-toned red fruits, and a savory quality to the macchia herb note that defines the best Brunello. Best of all from an eager-consumer standpoint: the silky tannins that already feel gracious and supportive. –Scott Thomas
2020 Le Ragnaie “Vigna Fornace” Brunello di Montalcino
From the coolness atop Montalcino to “the furnace” of “Vigna Fornace” in the southeastern zone of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. This parcel lies at 1,312 feet above sea level (400msl), and is relatively open, with a slight tilt toward the south. One would think that this would lead to a bigger, riper style of wine, but that’s just not Le Ragnaie’s style. Instead, the 2020 “Vigna Fornace” Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★ 3/4) — while ripe — still feels polished and lovely with detailed notes of plum, supreme silkiness at this early stage, and enduring length. –Scott Thomas
2020 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino
Caprili once again impressed with the standard-bearer 2020 Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★ 3/4). This wine captured the vintage’s freshness perfectly — an invitation to enjoy now rather than down the road — and it had charming dimensions on the nose akin to radiant red currant fruit and violet flowers. Once on the palate, there was a notable succulence that encouraged a second sip with its awesome length on this finish. –Scott Thomas
2020 Sesti Brunello di Montalcino
Yet another beautiful wine from Sesti is their 2020 Brunello di Montalcino (★★★★ 3/4). This wine showed the beautiful dichotomy that I think defines great Brunello: to simultaneously be elegant and powerful, intense yet graceful … it’s all there in this noble wine. I was particularly intrigued with how fleshy and substantial the wine’s texture was, without feeling overbearing, or stuck on the palate. This is a rounded, artful wine decked in candied red fruits that should show considerable promise for years to come. –Scott Thomas
All photos: ©Kevin Day/Opening a Bottle or ©Scott Thomas/Grappolo Wine School
Note: These wines were either provided as samples by importers or tasted at Benvenuto Brunello, which Scott Thomas was invited to. Learn more about our editorial policies.
