Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese

Big. Expensive. Needs time.

Vintage 2010 | I consider Brunello di Montalcino to be the greatest Italian wine. This is a nice example. Powerful.

Cinnamon and baking spice. Cranberry, cherry, red currant, and plum skin, all the fruit is under the hood. Black licorice, camphor, and woodsy spice.

Needs ample air. Hot at 14.5%. A bit big for it’s britches for a century note on the shelf. I think time in the cellar should help. Paired with Italian sausage and mashed potatoes.

Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deeper ruby color with a transparent core. Medium+ viscosity; slight staining of the tears. On the nose, dark cherry, dried herbs and baking spices…it smells Italian. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with monumental structure. The fruits and non-fruits are confirmed. I gotta say this is painfully primary. It took half a day of air to even budge. I vacillated between Sangio and Nebbiolo…the color didn’t quite seem right for Nebbiolo but the structure was beyond what I would expect for Sangiovese. So, I called Barolo from 2017, from a modern producer. Welp…I got the Italian part right! In hindsight, I should have trusted the color. If you have these, slow-ox for at least 12 hours before service. This will drink nicely, well past it’s fifteenth birthday.

One of Angelo Gaja’s two Tuscan properties, is on the site of an old church, Santa Restituta, which dates back to the 4th century. Deep Ruby with pronounced aromas of ripe berry fruits and floral notes. On the palate flavors of juicy cherry and raspberry with cacao, cedar spice and gentle pepper spice. Fine tannins, great balance, complex long finish ending with earthy herbs, fruit and oaky notes. Nice! Tasting Sample!

Big, bold, smooth. Young. Needs 10 years

#sample

Developed. Earth and ripe fruit. Broad

Gaja did not produce their Rennina or Sugarille in 2012 due to a change in their oak program, so all of that fruit went into their Pieve Santa Restituta.
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A minimum of an hour open is needed to give it the room necessary to stretch out and reveal the depth of its complexity. Black cherry, rose petal, tobacco, leather, clay pot, walnut, citrus peel, and earth, with some secondary truffle and fig nuances that both elevate the wine and remind you that you’re drinking Gaja. Excellent.

Red cherry, blackberry, mineral structure / strong supporting acid / excellent length / orange peel; candied orange peel / med+ body, med+ tannin