Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020 3000ml Doppel-Magnum

Wine Description for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020 from Le Chiuse

Character

The Le Chiuse 2020 is classic Montosoli-Nord – that cooler flank of the Montalcino hill which critics like to call the Côte-Rôtie of Brunello: long-ageing, aromatic, built on tension. Kerin O’Keefe awards 98 points and speaks of „enticing aromas of forest berry, rose, new leather and Mediterranean herb“. Monica Larner (Wine Advocate, 96 points) describes a texture of pure silk with a streak of gripping tannins in the finish, carried by „tantalizing acidity“. Audrey Frick for Jeb Dunnuck (96 points) sets the drinking window at 2026–2046.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard sites lie in the Località Valdicava on the north-eastern flank of the hill Montosoli – seven hectares of pure Sangiovese on two elevation levels: a lower terrace at around 300 metres, an upper one at just under 500 metres above sea level. The soils: galestro slate, calcareous marl, clay, a core of volcanic tuff. The harvest took place on 17 September 2020, just before a rainy period – timing that Michaela Morris explicitly highlights as a fortunate detail in her Decanter vintage report. 50 hectolitres per hectare, half of the Consortium maximum; organically certified since 2005.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100 per cent Sangiovese Grosso from mass selection of the historic clone BS 11, which Simonetta Valianis great-grandfather Ferruccio Biondi Santi once selected himself on these slopes. Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts at around 29 degrees, followed by 36 months exclusively in large botti made of Slavonian oak (30 hl) – no barrique, no tonneau. The cellar is gravity-fed. On the palate: fine tannin polish rather than roasted aromas, the barrel serves as a breathing organ, not a spice cabinet.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The north-slope style demands dishes that do not overwhelm its freshness. Ideal partners: game birds (pigeon, partridge, guinea fowl) on lentils or cabbage, tagliatelle with hare or venison ragù, Bistecca alla Fiorentina with just rosemary – the less richness in the sauce, the more the wine shines. With cheese, aged Pecorino di Pienza al pepe or Parmigiano Reggiano 24 mesi. Decant one hour before serving, serve at 17–18 degrees.