"Captivating, bright, and succulent”
Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino
We’ve long maintained that Brunello di Montalcino is hands down the most exciting fine wine region for collectors and 2020 ushers in a host of changes. Perhaps most significant is the abolition of the Consorzio’s five-star rating system, issued within mere months of harvest. In its place we have a phrase selected by eight Masters of Wines following a blind tasting of the vintage in bottle. As such 2020 hasn’t been packaged up as four or five-star but is arriving onto the market with the moniker “captivating, bright, and succulent … versatile and suitable for aging.”
Sweeping statements aside, this is a step in the right direction and gives collectors a better sense of the vintage. The critics are also largely in agreement with the Consorzio, and the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner confesses “I could not be more pleased with 2020 Brunello di Montalcino. I came away from the tasting … with two main thoughts
1. These are wines I want to drink
2. This the vintage Montalcino needed.”
The wines, James Suckling says (having tasted over 200 samples) are “not jammy or overly alcoholic, and most show a freshness and brightness of fruit, making them extremely attractive to drink now while also having enough structure to improve over the next 10 to 12 years – and beyond in some cases.” Vinous’ Eric Guido meanwhile, reflecting on the best wines of the vintage, discovers “another level of undeniably elegant and harmonious wines that soothe the palate and the soul. These wines offer sweet, ripe tannins and cooling acidity with a core of balanced fruit. They are graceful yet complex and impactful.”
Yet on paper 2020 was a solar year. How could Montalcino’s top producers have made wines with so much freshness and charm?
Growing Season
For Monica Larner, the explanation is “serendipity”. This centres around two key factors during the growing season: even rainfall throughout the summer; and an optimal harvest window in mid-to-late September.
Winter brought substantial rainfall, ensuring healthy water reserves heading into spring. While February saw unseasonably warm temperatures, March delivered a surprising snow event, though frost damage was minimal.
Spring was relatively dry, with well-timed showers in April and May supporting an even flowering. Summer was warm but not excessively so, with steady heat accumulation rather than extreme spikes, and rainfall concentrated mostly in June. Late August brought a welcome 40mm of rain, cooling conditions and setting the stage for a measured ripening period.
Harvest began under promising conditions, particularly in the south, where producers benefited from extended hang times and excellent diurnal shifts. However, late September rains complicated picking decisions, with some estates choosing to bring in fruit earlier than ideal. As a result, as Eric Guido at Vinous points out, the best wines from 2020 come from those who harvested at optimal ripeness before the rains set in.
The 2020 Brunello & 2019 Riservas
The handful of 2019 Riservas will no doubt steal the show – as James Suckling says, they “should be spectacular”, but the 2020s should surprise and delight Brunello lovers as they may “mark a turning point for the region, where hot and dry vintages can be managed effectively in both Montalcino’s vineyards and cellars to produce fresh, attractive wines.” Despite the heat, the 2020 wines show more balance and freshness than 2012 and 2017, with the vintage being compared by some more closely to 2015.
Our Brunello 2020 Anteprima Tasting offered Club Members their first proper chance to explore our selection of Brunello, and it was a cracking showing. As ever, our fierce loyalty lies with Castello di Romitorio—whose stunning 2020s received up to 98 points from Eric Guido, the highest of the vintage—along with Mastrojanni, Valdicava (to be released later), and Patrizia Cencioni. Each of them has knocked it out of the park in 2020.
Alongside these estates, we’re thrilled to be offering wines from stalwarts Argiano, Cortonesi, Castiglion del Bosco, Giodo (from our dear friend Carlo Ferrini), Podere le Ripi, and Antinori’s Pian delle Vigne—a diverse and exciting lineup showcasing the breadth of Brunello’s terroirs.
A fascinating addition to this year’s tasting was the 3D map projection on one of the walls—an initiative from the Consorzio, reflecting their progressive efforts to put Montalcino on the map, both figuratively and literally. We hope this is an important step towards officially recognising the denomination and structure of the region. With vineyard management and winemaking at an all-time high, the distinct terroirs of Brunello are more evident than ever, with wines from the warmer southeast in Castelnuovo dell’Abate showing completely differently from those of the mountainous northeast outside of Montalcino.
These differences were clearly reflected in our selection of wines. Consider the contrast between Mastrojanni—arguably Castelnuovo dell’Abate’s finest grower—and Patrizia Cencioni, whose estate lies directly east of Montalcino. Despite being just seven miles apart, their differences in altitude and aspect result in two completely distinct wines. Mastrojanni’s 2020s are deep, intense, and structured, a very traditional, age-worthy style of Brunello. In contrast, Patrizia Cencioni’s wines are brighter and more perfumed, with red fruit and floral notes. Both are superb, yet will inevitably appeal to different palates among our Club Members.
The map below offers a glimpse into the different stylistic expressions across the region. Generally, estates further north and/or higher up the slopes (e.g. Romitorio) tend to produce racier, more lifted Sangiovese, while those further south and/or lower down the slopes (e.g. Mastrojanni and Valdicava) craft deeper, more structured wines.
And that is part of the joy of buying Brunello in 2025—much like Burgundy, small differences in geology and topography result in highly varied wines. What’s more, none of our chosen growers are trying to imprint a uniform style onto their wines; it’s all about the terroir. It’s great to see the Consorzio recognising this with their 3D mapping project, and hopefully, it’s just the beginning of more exciting developments to come.
Closing Thoughts
Brunello has long been one of our favourite fine wine regions, and it’s fantastic to see its reputation continue to soar. One of the things we admire most is how refreshing it is to be offering wines En Primeur that are approaching five years old (six in the case of Riservas)—bottled, aged, and well on their way to showing their true character. It’s a rare opportunity to secure fine wines at this stage, knowing they’ve already had the time to develop structure and complexity.
Even as Brunello’s star rises, we still feel it offers incredible value compared to its peers. These are wines we collect ourselves and enjoy drinking, and we can’t wait to share them with you. Whether you’re a long-time Brunello fan or just starting to explore, this is a vintage well worth adding to the cellar.