2017 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

A robust and earthy Brunello with ripe red fruits, leather, and spice, featuring strong yet balanced tannins, best enjoyed after a few more years or with decanting.

Producer

Le Chiuse

Region

Montalcino, Tuscany

Country

Italy

Varietal

Sangiovese

Varietal Composition

100% Sangiovese Grosso

Specifications

2017

Vintage

2034

Drink By

ABV

Vinification

Aged 32 months in large Slavonian oak vessels and reblended in large concrete vessels before bottling

Occasional wine note

Another superstar Brunello? Yep. Love this offering. So earthy and big with great ripe red fruits and layers of leather and spice notes intertwined, along with BIG but not overpowering tannins. There's a lot going on here. This will be better with a couple more years, but it works now. Perhaps a bit of decanting is in order here.

What experts say about this wine

100

Wine Enthusiast

One of the best wines of the vintage, this stunner opens with compelling aromas of new leather, forest floor, perfumed berry and menthol. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the delicious palate delivers crushed raspberry, ripe Marasca cherry, baking spice and licorice set against firm, refined tannins. It boasts remarkable freshness and balance for the hot vintage. Best After 2025

100

Decanter

Lorenzo Magnelli opted to pick early to avoid opulence in 2017. Along with gentler punch-downs and fewer pump-overs, he aged the wine for less time in wood – 30 months rather than 36 – as he felt it didn't need too much oxygen. Vibrancy of expression is palpable in the tangle of spices, woodland berries, earthy mushroom and forest growth. The palate is sturdy but not aggressive as well-composed tannins sweep across the palate. Perhaps all that's missing in the 2017 is the extra detail and length of some of the previous vintages.

pairing recommendation