A Tale
of Two Extremes: The 2020 Brunellos and 2019 Riservas

BY ERIC GUIDO | NOVEMBER 26, 2024After over two decades of stagnation with regards to
production guidelines, Montalcino recently announced a litany of changes that
will significantly impact the Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di
Montalcino DOCG categories. The official five-star vintage rating system has received
an entire overhaul. The cherry on top is the ongoing creation of a new map to
be published by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino in collaboration
with Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli. Amidst all this is the release of the highly
anticipated 2020 Brunellos and, of course, the 2019 Riservas. Change is afoot,
and most of it is very positive, yet there are flaws and a few missed
opportunities as well.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732636654184-Brunello+di+Montalcino_Cover.jpg">A sea of fog surrounding the town of Montalcino.

The Two-Faced 2020 Vintage

Tasting the 2020 vintage, I can’t help but be reminded of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s always challenging reporting on a vintage like
this one because I want to be clear about my analysis without dooming all of
the producers in the entire region.

People will say many things about the 2020s. Some will call
them elegant. Most will say they’re energetic. They are undoubtedly aromatic
and fruit-forward. Then there’s the damning phrase, “It’s a restaurant
vintage.” The fact is, while restaurant vintages are certainly necessary,
especially for those of us who like to drink young Brunello, that phrase also
communicates to consumers that the wines simply won’t age well. I’ve witnessed
time and time again that coining a year as a “restaurant vintage” means
that retail sales and purchases from collectors and speculators drop off a
cliff. That said, although all the things I listed above are true about the
2020s, there’s significantly more nuance in this case.&nbsp;

It is a vintage with remarkably high highs and,
unfortunately, very low lows. What’s more, there’s a significant disparity
between producers who did a fantastic job and those who made lackluster wines
that, in some cases, are very difficult to swallow (literally). This brings me
back to the 2020 Rossos and a report (<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-rise-of-rosso-di-montalcino-oct-2022">The Rise of Rosso di
Montalcino</a>) I wrote in October of 2022, where I stated, “[The 2022
Rossos] are rich, textural and opulent reds that boast gobs of ripe red fruit
and extract. Most 2020s are so beautiful today that it’s hard to envision them
getting any better, which could pose a problem for the Brunello category.”
As I continued to sample the 2020 Rossos over the
last two years, it became apparent that their combination of high extract, high
acidity and high alcohol made them very difficult to taste. On more than one
occasion, I found myself unable to get through a single glass. This issue
plagues many of the 2020 Brunellos at the lower end of the score spectrum. These
are big, decadent wines that lack the balance to age. In many cases, the
tannins are surprisingly silky to a fault, where the wines lack the grip and
framing structure on the palate that even a restaurant vintage should
offer.&nbsp;

So now that we’ve discussed Mr. Hyde, what about Dr.
Jekyll? This is where the 2020 vintage throws the taster for a loop. Amidst all
of the high-octane wines that sometimes sear the senses and are best consumed in
the near term, there is 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. So how does this happen?

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732636718776-A+selection+of+standout+Brunello+di+Montalcino+from+the+2020+vintage_copy.jpg">A selection of standout Brunello di Montalcino from the 2020 vintage. 

In some cases, this variation can be attributed to location,
but in most cases, producers determined the fate of their wines. Discussing the
climate conditions of the 2020 season, one would expect great things. This was
the COVID-19 year. Winemakers were locked down and often decided to obsess over
their vineyards. Gigliola Giannetti of Le Potazzine commented that her vineyard
was like her garden in 2020—perfectly manicured. Andrea Cortonesi of Uccelliera
and Voliero described a vine-by-vine approach that wouldn’t have been possible
without the lockdown. Francesco Ripaccioli of Canalicchio di Sopra explained,
"The time that we spent in the vineyard was decidedly superior to any
other activity at the winery.” Iacopo Mori reminisced, “No planes, no cars, no
pollution, it was amazing.”

The 2020 vintage was hot, yet it wasn’t nearly as dry as
2019 or 2021. In fact, between October and December of 2019, over 600
millimeters of rain fell, with another 115 millimeters in January. This meant
that water reserves were very high going into the growing season. Winter
brought temperatures below freezing, which helped to reduce disease. The spring
was relatively dry, with well-timed rains in April and May. Temperatures rose
through the end of May, with an even and healthy flowering, followed by an extended
period of dry conditions into the summer. Built-up water reserves kept the
vines healthy through this period with lush green canopies. Between July and
August, Mother Nature turned up the heat, with average temperatures in the
upper 90s and seven days of 102°F intensity. This forced the vines to shut down
their vegetative process. But things soon took a sharp turn in a more positive
direction. At the end of August, 40 millimeters of rain fell, ushering in much
cooler temperatures. In fact, producers in the south saw a cool, extended
harvest period. Poggio di Sotto and Uccelliera reported that harvest commenced at
the end of September. The month leading up to harvest included 30 days of
significant diurnal temperature shifts, so producers could often wait to
harvest until their vines reached full phenolic maturity. However, it also
appears that some wineries jumped the gun, as another rain event on September
25 prompted many to harvest before achieving perfectly ripe tannins.&nbsp;

Success really did come down to the producer. Who was
willing to spend time working the canopies to shade their fruit? Who was
willing to adjust yields so as not to stress the vines? Who had the courage to
let their fruit hang longer than usual to achieve ripeness? Who had the
foresight to adjust their maceration times to deal with the high levels of skin
and pulp? Who decided to declassify their Riserva juice to bolster their
Brunello? The notes and producer commentaries that follow answer all of these
questions.

This is not a vintage to skip, nor is it just a “restaurant
vintage.” The successful wines of 2020 are absolutely gorgeous. Readers just
need to be selective.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732636878546-Stella+di+Campalto+explains+the+importance+of+nature+and+the+role+of+biodiversity+in+here+southern+Montalcino+vineyards_copy.jpg">Stella di Campalto explains the importance of nature and the role of biodiversity in her vineyards in the southern reaches of Montalcino.

Radiance Reimagined: The 2019 Riservas

The Riserva category is always tricky in Montalcino. In
many cases, I question whether the added cost of a Riserva equates to the
quality of what’s in the bottle. That said, as I taste older vintages
regularly, I often find that the Riservas mature more gracefully than the
straight Brunellos. Granted, much of this has to do with the style of the wines
and the vintages themselves. Traditional winemakers who take full advantage of
the Riserva category and mature their wines for an extended time in barrel will
likely create a fantastic Riserva in a classic vintage. However, in 2018 or
2017, that same extended aging often robbed these wines of fruit. More
progressive winemakers have begun to bottle their Riserva simultaneously with their
Brunello yet release the Riserva a year later, as required by the DOCG. In
these cases, wineries offer consumers a wine made from exceptional fruit that
has matured for an extra year in the cellar. There’s certainly value in that.
Ultimately, the Riserva category will always be about the vintage, the producer
and the style. Even in a classic year like 2019, there will be wines that have
been too heavily impacted by the stamp of oak.&nbsp;

In last year's article, <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/buckle-your-seatbelts-2019-brunello-and-2021-rosso-di-montalcino-dec-2023">Buckle Your
Seatbelts: 2019 Brunello and 2021 Rosso di Montalcino</a>, I
described the 2019 vintage in detail. “Two thousand nineteen is a year of radiance and appeal without any sensation of over-ripeness
or lack of complexity. The wines are 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,
often showing their best after being open for over two days in bottle…While
many 2019s display an inviting personality today, they are balanced for the
cellar.” I still agree
wholeheartedly with these statements, and many of the 2019 Riservas have only
amplified these qualities, adding an extra level of depth and more serious
structure without compromising fruit expression. However, due to the
consistently high quality of the vintage across the board, I found myself
scoring the Riservas in line with many of the best Brunellos of the year, not
necessarily higher. This isn't meant to be negative—it’s simply up to the
consumer to decide where to spend their dollars.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732636921179-Library+vintages+at+Le+Potazzine_copy.jpg">Library vintages at Le Potazzine. 

The Evolving State of
Montalcino&nbsp;

Over the last four years, I’ve spoken
at great length about the importance of Rosso di Montalcino and its rise in
quality. Winemakers throughout Montalcino have placed a new emphasis on crafting
wines of profound character, depth and structure that will allow them to mature
much longer than previously anticipated. Today, many single-vineyard Rossos and
Rossos made from declassified Brunello juice punch well above expectations. In
vintages like 2018, 2019 and 2021, the Rosso category reached all-new heights,
even outperforming some Brunellos in a year like 2018. In many cases, prices
have gone up, but those new prices are often warranted.&nbsp;

The Consorzio del Vino
Brunello di Montalcino has also noticed this trend. In an attempt to provide the
region and its wineries an outlet for taking advantage of Rosso’s newfound
importance in the market, the Consorzio has significantly changed the rules
governing the existing Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino vineyards. These
changes added 352 hectares to the current 510 hectares of Rosso di Montalcino
without requiring any replanting or new plantings that might disturb the
region's biodiversity. They accomplished this by allowing the use of IGT
Sangiovese and Sant’Antimo vineyards in the production of Rosso di Montalcino.
Moreover, the boundaries between Rosso and Brunello vineyards no longer exist.
Instead, wineries will consider a percentage of Rosso that can be bottled
annually against their total land under vine. For example, a winery with fewer
than 10 hectares of vines receives +15% production of Rosso, while an estate
with between 10 and 20 hectares will receive +15% on the first 10 hectares and
+10% on any additional hectares. Beyond increasing production of Rosso, these
new rules allow winemakers to select the most suitable parcels for Rosso or
Brunello di Montalcino depending on the vintage.&nbsp;

I do wish the Consorzio would consider a new classification
of Rosso that would help consumers tell the difference between a wine made for
early and easy drinking and one intended to function as a “baby Brunello.”
Hopefully, this will be in the cards in the future.&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732636956980-Federico+Radi+detailing+the+resurectrion+of+Biondi-Santi%27s+vineyards_copy.jpg">Federico Radi detailing the resurrection of vineyards at Biondi-Santi.

Then, there is the issue of Montalcino’s five-star vintage
rating system, which has been problematic since its inception. Consumers,
wineries and media have looked to this ranking as a predictor of quality from
vintage to vintage. However, anyone closely following the region and its wines
quickly realizes the system is flawed. A stunning vintage like 2001 received
four stars yet clearly deserved higher. The 2005 vintage received five stars
yet clearly deserved lower. I can say the same for 2012 versus 2013, where the
latter has proven itself superior. Now, we have 2020—another five-star year…I
think not. With a bit of digging, one learns that since the inception of this
system, the stars were decided around February of the year that followed the
vintage. The wines were embryonic, having only recently finished their fermentations,
and the only actual analysis was of the growing season’s climatic conditions. At
the time of assessment, there was no way to know how the finished wines would
perform.

As of this writing, the Consorzio has abolished the five-star
system. There will no longer be a rating system at all. It will be up to critics
to make those calls. Instead, the Consorzio will present a detailed vintage
analysis using a collection of weather data, including temperature
fluctuations, precipitation and the frequency and length of droughts. A panel
of eight internationally sourced Masters of Wine, led by Gabriele Gorelli MW
and Andrea Lonardi MW, will taste the finished wines blind about a month prior
to Benvenuto Brunello (which takes place at the end of November). After
assembling the data points, the team will “name” each vintage with a phrase
that aims to depict the year's quality.&nbsp;

Firstly, this is a big step in the right direction. In a
region like Montalcino, reviewers should have access to this data without
having to interview dozens of producers in an attempt to piece everything
together. However, this new system is not without its flaws, and it’s still too
generalized. As I’ve stated many times before, Montalcino requires a breakdown
of sub-zones. To assume that the region's rocky and densely forested northwest
has the same vintage conditions as the north-facing vineyards and clay soils of
the northeast does not make sense. Nor does it make sense to consider that a
vintage in Castelnuovo dell’Abate in the southeast is anything like one in the
north or in the Mediterranean-influenced southwest. Each year, I spend at least
two full weeks interviewing winemakers in all parts of the region to decode the
Rubik’s cube that is a single vintage. There’s no other way to do it. I hope
these clarifications will manifest one day and that the wineries of Montalcino
will fully support them. It would be in everyone's best interests. Until then,
however, this new system gives me hope.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1732637046921-A+mix+of+clay%2C+sand+and+large+percentage+of+stones+in+the+lower+elevations+of+Castelnuovo+dell%27Abate_copy.jpg">A mix of clay, sand and a large percentage of stones in the lower
elevations of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. 

Last but not least, is a mapping project being undertaken
by the Consorzio and Gabriele Gorelli MW that I can only discuss in broad
strokes. At this time as I have not seen any drafts yet. Montalcino has long
lacked a comprehensive map that defines the various subzones within the broader
appellation. I hope the Consorzio will take this opportunity to address what is
a serious shortcoming for the region, especially considering the work that has
been done in other regions throughout the world in recent years.

I tasted the wines for this article in Montalcino between
July and October 2024 through a series of estate visits at over 30 estates and
in centralized group tastings.© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-magic-of-2022-rosso-di-montalcino-sep-2024">The Magic of 2022 Rosso di Montalcino</a>, Eric Guido, September 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/buckle-your-seatbelts-2019-brunello-and-2021-rosso-di-montalcino-dec-2023">Buckle Your Seatbelts: 2019 Brunello and 2021 Rosso di Montalcino</a>, Eric Guido, December 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-rise-of-rosso-di-montalcino-oct-2022">The Rise of Rosso di Montalcino</a>, Eric Guido, October 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-rosso-di-montalcino-and-beyond-jan-2022">The Pros and Cons of Rosso di Montalcino and Beyond</a>, Eric Guido, January 2022

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