A Vintage of Transcendence: 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Retrospective

BY ERIC GUIDO | JANUARY 2, 2025

I fondly remember the release of the 2004 Brunellos. It was early 2009, and like many other collectors, I was eager to hear about the next big vintage in Montalcino. The hype was high. Winemakers spoke in depth about their satisfaction with the season, and the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino had assigned five stars to the vintage at a time when we still believed their rating system was worth paying attention to. Retailers were pushing hard on pre-sales, and everyone waited with bated breath for the critics to chime in. 

Brunello lovers were starved for the next collectible vintage. We had our fill from the 2001s, which were resting deep in our cellars, but we also felt unsatisfied by the nearly nonexistent 2002s and ultra-ripe 2003s. Tensions surrounding the region were high as well. Montalcino had just gone through the massive Brunellogate scandal, in which officials accused several winemakers of blending international varieties in their vineyards and confiscated wines for lab analysis. Would that mean that many of our past favorites would never see release? We didn’t know.

Moreover, due to the recession that began in 2008, it was a challenging time financially. I was fortunate to remain fully employed and safe with my family, but many others were not. Frankly, those of us who could afford to buy wine as a passion or a hobby were lucky, but we were also seeking our next thrill. We hoped that the 2004 vintage would fill those needs. 

An eclectic mix of 2004 Brunellos.

The news was generally very good when the word hit, even if the 2004s weren’t without flaws. As an avid reader of Antonio Galloni’s writings, I dug deeply into his tasting notes and vintage report to make the most informed decisions and secure all the wine I could afford. He spoke about wines of balance and power hailing from a cooler, classic year (especially compared to what we see today), but he also noted inconsistency from north to south, with the south excelling through the vintage while producers in the north didn’t fare as well. This may have been the first time I really thought about an in-depth breakdown of the region. Little did I know that one day, I’d be on the warpath for the creation of official subzones in Montalcino.

Another issue was abundance. The 2004 vintage presented growers with a considerable crop set due to the built-up energy in the vines from 2003. In cases where producers didn’t cut back their yields, hoping to make up for lost sales from the 2002s and 2003s, dilution was evident in the wines. 

Ultimately, I made my choices and buried the wines deep in the cellar, knowing that the best was yet to come.