2019 Brunello di Montalcino

I was ecstatic to taste with Gemma Marcucci of SanCarlo. This small estate, with only about three hectares of vines, is located in Tavernelle, just up the road and at a slightly higher elevation than Soldera, Caprilli and Gaja’s Pieve Santa Restituta estate. All of SanCarlo’s fruit comes from the estate vineyards, surrounded by thick, lush forests and olive groves. It’s really a sight to behold. The winemaking here is traditional, yet unlike many estates that make the same claim, SanCarlo's floors are clean enough to eat off of. My attention turned to these wines recently when retasting the 2015 Brunello, which has matured beautifully in bottle. I came to realize that I didn’t taste their 2019 last year, so a visit was in order. I’m sure glad I did because what I experienced was pure magic. The 2019s are classic to the core, mixing their unique terroir with no-nonsense winemaking and the dark radiance of the vintage. The 2020 also comes across as quite refined yet in a more approachable, balanced package. I can’t recommend these wines highly enough. I can assure readers that I’ll be following Marcucci’s work closely in the years to come.