2019 Brunello di Montalcino is “…the vintage we’ve all been waiting for,” so “Buckle your seatbelts,” and strap on your helmets because the newest vintage from Montalcino is “…an embarrassment of riches for collectors and fans of the appellation” (Eric Guido, Vinous Media). The hotly anticipated Brunellos have “…definitely lived up to [their] lofty reputation as an excellent vintage across Montalcino” (Kerin O’Keefe). It showcases the extraordinary qualities of Sangiovese, Tuscany’s most famous and beloved grape variety, and its ability to exploit the region’s phenomenal terroir. This “…magical year…” (Giacomo Neri of Casanova di Neri) of “radiance and appeal” (Eric Guido) will likely set a new benchmark for Brunello wines for years to come.
According to Italian wine expert, Kerin O’Keefe, she has “…never tasted so many drop-dead-gorgeous young Brunellos from a single vintage.” She confesses that many of the best wines stopped her in her tracks, generating that “…magical moment when everything around you stops and you just want to freeze time.” O’Keefe, a strict reviewer who doesn’t “…dole out perfect scores like candy,” rated four wines 100 points (Conti Costanti, L’Aietta Alberelli, Le Chiuse and Ciacci Piccolomini) and nearly sixty wines rated 95-99 points, claiming “…there are a number of producers that made their best Brunellos to date in 2019. So if you are going to experiment with names you aren’t familiar with, 2019 is the vintage to do that.” She describes them as “…incredibly fragrant, delivering quintessential aromas of perfumed red berry, blue flower, new leather and forest floor…full-bodied, with great, delicious fruit flavors that range from ripe red cherry all the way to mature plum. Spicy notes are ubiquitous. They also have great energy thanks to good acidity levels and taut but refined tannins. Many are exhilarating while some are almost opulent, but they are also lifted by vibrancy.”
The terms, crunchy and pure fruit character; what veteran wine critic James Suckling, likes to call “al dente fruit” certainly comes through in many of the 2019s. Eric Guido of Vinous Media, likewise infers the wines to be “classic, racy, cool-toned, crunchy and sleek…aromatically intense and full of dimension, with translucent color, fruit typicity and the ability to communicate a sense of place. They are structured and built for cellaring…display[ing] an inviting personality today…balanced for the cellar and sure to mature beautifully over the next ten to fifteen years, if not more. This is the vintage we’ve all been waiting for.” Producers, Giacomo Bartolommei of Caprili and Federico Radi, winemaker for Biondi-Santi share similar sentiments, with the latter exclaiming, “The grapes were crunchy with a beautiful textural progression in tannins with a very deep and long finish…It gave what Sangiovese should be” in quality and character.”
Vintage comparison is inevitable, especially in outstanding vintages such as 2019 and though, an intangible contrivance, it is vital in determining a vintage’s superiority among other exceptional years. 2019 Brunellos are already being compared to the phenomenal 2015 and legendary 2016s, but “…overall even better…” (Kerin O’Keefe). Even more interesting are the comparisons to the legendary 1988 and 1990 vintages; as Roberto Guerrini of Fuligni reminisces, “No one remembers the 1988 but it reminds me of that vintage when it was young, although it’s even better.” Francesco Buffi at the Baricci winery on the Montosoli hillside in the northeast explained 2019 as “Exceptional, in terms of quality and quantity. A vintage that takes me at least 20 years back…” For reference, 1988 and 1990 Soldera Brunello di Montalcino (in southwestern Montalcino) were re-tasted recently (in 2016 and 2020 respectively) by Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media who gave the 1988 a rating of 96 points, stating, “At nearly thirty years of age, the 1988 Brunello di Montalcino remains bright, vibrant and full of life.” The 1990, Galloni awarded a score of 97 points with a drinking window of 2020-2040. It is tremendously impressive for a young vintage to be praised in such a manner, but also gives credence to their ability to age gracefully.
Regardless of the comparisons with other vintages, Suckling believes “…2019 is definitely a vintage to buy. I heard good things about 2020 but they are apparently less structured than 2019, and the hype for the 2021 is already starting, with what I tasted from barrel suggesting that these will be very structured Brunellos for your cellar. But they will be less attractive compared with the 2019 when they are released in 2026, so it’s better to buy some of the sure thing – 2019.”
For the past few vintages, producers have been experimenting with “single-vineyard” bottlings from the best grapes across their estate’s vineyards; something that has been witnessed in both Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont. This movement to clearness in Brunello producers’ wines also brings out the true character of where their Sangiovese is grown, adding value to already exceptional vineyards where the cherished grape is cultivated. In 2019, the number of single-vineyard Brunellos increased, which is an exciting development. These wines generally show more “…noticeable depth and complexity than the straight Brunello” (Kerin O’Keefe).
It will be difficult find a bad bottle of 2019 Brunello di Montalcino and as aforementioned, it is a good year to experiment with unfamiliar producers. This vintage is expected to age beautifully for 15-20 years and in some cases, even longer. Don’t expect the excitement of this vintage to cease once the wines are released and subsequently vanish from the market…The 2019 Riservas are projected to be released a year later.
2019 Brunello di Montalcino: A+
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Cheers!