2020 Il Marroneto "Madonna delle Grazie" Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (1.5L)

The second of three selections from the vineyard, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva Madonna Delle Grazie is a stunning wine and is poised to become the second-ever release of a Riserva wine from the estate. (The first was 2013.) Tasted from a single barrel of production, it is still alive with active reduction nearly three years on that will take time to fully resolve. After several moments in the glass, it opens to remarkable concentration and potent depth that has nearly port-like decadence only countered by its chiseled and weightless feel. It offers a haunting and musky perfume that lasts for ages, alongside a balanced yet full arching profile. Not for the faint of heart, this wine floods the senses with a lavish appeal, yet somehow maintains restraint and freshness, with a prolonged underlying tension.<!--more-->This was my first time visiting the Il Marroneto estate, and everything I tasted there was from barrels, led by winemaker Alessandro Mori’s son, Iacopo, while the 2018s were tasted from bottle back home in New York. The winery was established in 1974, when Alessandro’s father, who was originally from Siena, was looking to create a small winery. He was encouraged by a priest in Montalcino to take a look at a church property on the northern side of the town, with its exposition overlooking Siena, and found the home for his winery... (AF)