99
Kerin O'Keefe - kerinokeefe.com
The gorgeous 2019 Brunello from Gianni Brunelli pulls you in, with its quintessential Brunello fragrance composed of underbrush, woodland berry, botanical herb and wild rose. Savory and all about finesse, the delicious palate shows elegant restraint and energy, delivering juicy red cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and crushed mint alongside polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced. Hats off to Laura Brunelli, this is an absolutely enthralling wine. Drink 2027–2039. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe November 2023
98+ Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com
Displaying a deeper though youthful red hue, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is expressive with cherry liqueur notes coaxing from the glass, and it is well-woven with plush, refined aromas of fresh leather, crushed flowers, mocha, and fresh herbs. Expressive, with focused clarity, a great, pure feel, notes of blood orange, and mineral undercurrents all weaving together through the palate, it’s long and pure, with noble structure and balanced energy. Bursting with life and refinement, it offers nervous tension and a lingering perfume of dried apricot on the finish. At this youthful stage, there’s a hint of oak spice that frames the wine beautifully, but it demands cellaring to come together further. This is going to be one to cellar and drink over the coming decades. Drink 2027-2050.
98 Decanter
Just below Biondi-Santi in southeast Montalcino, this is one of the most classic estates of the denomination. The 2019 has a deep nose of amazing fruit ranging from cherry to strawberry, soaked with fresh violet, liquorice and vibrant minerality. It's loaded with racy acidity and firm, velvety, super-ripe tannins; lavish and polished. The wine is aged for 29 months in Slavonian oak, of which a third is renewed every year.
97 Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine offers lifted fruit with popping cherry, blackcurrant and sour crab apple. This level of fruit brightness is not easy to maintain in a wine that ages for five years before its commercial release. The folks at Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto do a fine job. The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino delivers balanced oak renderings with exotic spice and dried chili flake. The wine has a beautiful nose, but the palate definitely needs more time to flesh out and relax, considering the current tightness of the tannins. With 14,230 bottles made, it promises a long drinking window.