2018 Brunello di Montalcino: The Rubik’s Cube Vintage

BY ERIC GUIDO | DECEMBER 15, 2022

Montalcino has been ever-changing these last few years, with vintage after vintage of torridly dry weather and slight variations of very hot temperatures. For this reason, many producers question what Brunello will mean to consumers down the road and if they need to look to another method to communicate the importance of their terroir. However, there is still a vintage on the horizon that reminds winemakers of a different time, an era when the growing season could be called warm, or even cool, instead of hot, when looking to the sky and begging for water wasn’t part of the daily repertoire. That vintage is 2018; however, just because the weather didn’t attempt to bake the fruit on the vines doesn’t necessarily mean that 2018 will be considered a classic. It’s time to solve the Rubik’s Cube that is 2018 Brunello. 

Castiglion del Bosco's Campo del Drago, in the extreme northwest of Montalcino.

At the top level, many of the 2018 Brunellos come across as quite Burgundian in nature, where a combination of vividly dark, ripe fruit, balanced acidity and refined tannins add a brilliant dimension that shines already today yet promises a steady and prosperous evolution over time. At the lower level, and sometimes in the midrange, the wines often remind me of Beaujolais or a lighter-styled Rosso. They are charming and fruit-forward, like a basket of fresh berries, followed by a delicate and often-semisweet expression on the palate, but lacking the depth of concentration and tannic structure to mature over time. 

The big question is: considering how pleasurable it is to taste the majority of these 2018s today and how much easy drinking they are sure to provide over the short term, should they really be labeled and marketed as Brunello di Montalcino and carry the price tags that come with that name? When thinking back to the release of the 2018 Rosso di Montalcinos and just how gorgeous and balanced those wines were and continue to be, I started to question the application of extended oak aging and macerations combined with the average character and fruit quality of this vintage. During my visit to Montalcino in July of 2021, several insightful producers had already moved their 2018 Brunellos from barrel into stainless steel or cement because they realized that the wine would only be hurt by longer oak aging. It’s also of note that many estates decided not to bottle a Riserva in this vintage, choosing instead to bolster their other wines, which is a move I respect greatly and have positively experienced when tasting the top-level, straight 2018 Brunellos. 

With that said, there is still a lot to like about 2018. Let’s get something out of the way first. Does Brunello have to be a 20-year-old wine to be an excellent wine? I say no. Do we judge Burgundy, the Rhône and California only on their likelihood to mature positively over the course of decades? Or do we look to their depth, balance and unique traits that provide fascination and satisfaction or displeasure? So why do we type-cast Brunello in this way? Marketing over the years telling consumers that the best Brunello is aged Brunello is actually now hurting more than helping, and will continue to be a problem with future releases.

There needs to be a paradigm shift, where the consuming public can look to the best producers’ Brunellos in a vintage like 2018 and be satisfied to know that they will overperform, overdeliver and thrill for whatever their lifespan might be. My thoughts go to the northeast, where producers such as Il Marroneto, Canalicchio di Sopra, Livio Sassetti - Pertimali, Le Gode, Altesino and Le Chiuse all made unique, beautiful wines that should not be missed. Are they classic representations of these properties? Not when measuring by the wines of ten years ago, but I’d feel like a fool if I missed placing them in my own cellar. The same goes with producers as we move south, such as Le Macioche Famiglia Cotarella (their 2018 shows the potential of this estate under new management), Le Ragnaie, San Polo, Talenti, Argiano, Il Poggione, Mastrojanni and Uccelliera; all have created distinctive wines that will be cherished for years to come. More estates could be added to the list, and it would be a shame if 2018’s overall success, whether good or bad, deterred readers from experiencing these standout producers.