Brunello di Montalcino

The 2020 Costanti Brunello di Montalcino is a stunner, a profound and stellar wine from one of the region's most historic estates. The Costanti family name is woven into the very fabric of Brunello’s history—it was Tito Costanti who first presented a bottle labeled "Brunello" back in 1869. Today, under Andrea Costanti's guidance, the estate remains a benchmark for classic, age-worthy, and deeply soulful Sangiovese. What I love about Costanti is their unwavering commitment to tradition. In an era when many producers moved toward French oak to appeal to international markets, Costanti held firm, aging their wine only in large Slavonian casks. This was a move that paid off spectacularly. This Brunello sings in your glass with an energy and purity that is second to none. The 2020 vintage is a year of concentration and structure, but it’s blessed with a generosity of fruit that makes it incredibly compelling right now. Where the 2019 was defined by its taut, acidic spine, the 2020 is all about its plush texture and deep, dark fruit, all while retaining that classic Costanti structure. It isn't a simple, fruit-forward Brunello; it’s a perfectly poised wine that offers both immediate pleasure and a long future. Sourced from their prized vineyards on the galestro-rich slopes of Colle al Matrichese, this wine is fermented with native yeasts and aged in a way that lets the terroir speak. So, is this a Brunello for the patient collector or one to enjoy now? The beauty of the 2020 is that it's both. Its polished tannins and inviting aromas make it accessible today, but its deep core promises a long evolution. I have a feeling that in a decade, when we taste the 2019 and 2020 side-by-side, this wonderfully generous 2020 will be the vintage that truly surprises and delights. It's a must-have. .

Extremely elegant and focused, this compelling wine defies the heat of the vintage, starting with a heady fragrance of ripe dark-skinned berries, violet, camphor, dark spice and whiffs of crushed herbs. On the linear, elegantly structured palate, tightly woven but extremely polished tannins accompany juicy Marasca cherry, blood orange, licorice and white pepper while fresh acidity keeps it balanced and fresh. Drink 2025–2032. Kerin O’Keefe