Il Marroneto - Brunello di Montalcino 2020 (Pre-arrival) (1.5L)
Price: $335.00
| Producer | Il Marroneto |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Subregion | Montalcino |
| Varietal | Sangiovese |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Sku | 10787 |
| Size | 1.5L |
Alessandro Mori’s Il Marroneto estate is situated just north of town at 400 meters of altitude in a cooler, steeply-sloped microclimate with soils of pebble rich limestone and galestro that give wines of precision, finesse and elegance.
This highly traditional estate came into being out of the purchase of a property by Giuseppe Mori in 1974. Vines were planted at that time, but additional vines were planted in 1975 and 1977 and in the early 1980s. Guiseppe’s sons Alessandro and Andrea arrived in 1980 at the same time the first vintage Brunello was made, but wine was not really commercially produced until 1994, when Alessandro gave up his career as a lawyer to focus on winemaking full time.
Il Marroneto is a small estate from which three wines are made – a Rosso and a Brunello, both made from vineyards acquired in 1998 at about 250 meters, and the Madonna delle Grazie bottling, which comes from the original 1.6 hectare vineyard at higher altitude planted by Alessandro’s father in 1974 and named after the local eleventh century church.
Steadfastly old school in their production methods, with aging in large French and Slavonian oak casks, Il Marroneto’s Brunellos are built to last, with tannins that need some time to soften. Patience is rewarded, however, with wines that have sophisticated fruit profiles, real elegance and a brightness that reflects the vineyards’ cooler location north of the town.
The wines have an established following among those looking for traditionally made Brunellos.
James Suckling: 97 Points
A restrained wine that?s complex and deep with aromas of cherry stones butter fresh violets orange peel and prunes. Firm tannins with a grainy texture yet it has a sweet finish super-energetic acidity and a full body. Flavors of blood oranges and violets. Perfect balance and incredible aging potential. A super classic. Drink or hold.
Vinous: 96 Points
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is an understated beauty slowly emerging with a delicate blend of rose petals fresh mint crushed rocks and vividly ripe black cherries. It hovers across the palate lifted and finessed yet spry with ripe red berry fruits and hints of lavender taking on a liquid floral concentration toward the close. Pleasantly chewy and long the 2020 leaves the senses stained in primary concentration with a tinge of bitter cranberry and pretty inner florals that resonate over a bed of classically dry tannins. This is a more concentrated and intense yet wonderfully balanced rendition of Il Marroneto's Brunello. - By Eric Guido on November 2023 Whereas most wines from Montalcino are elegant soft and earlier-drinking in 2020 at Il Marroneto they are classic to the core which is completely atypical of the vintage. There will be a 2020 Riserva?Il Marronetto's first since 2013 chosen from one very distinct barrel in the cellar. Production will total only 1000 magnums. The 2020 Brunello and 2020 Madonna delle Grazie are simply spellbinding. Frankly it's difficult to consider them alongside what I've tasted from the 2020 vintage. They are aromatically stunning and packed full of depth and concentration but also energetic and refined. Iacopo Mori mentioned that the wines are incredibly high in dry extract yet the acidity holds them together. He went on to explain that due to the lockdown no airplanes were flying overhead no cars were driving nearby and there was very minimal pollution. The team was able to focus all of their energy on the vineyards. Asked about the level of depth they achieved in the wines Mori went into detail about the harvest. Considering the higher elevations at Il Marronetto and its sandy soils they were able to wait until after the September rains when many producers had already picked their fruit resulting in perfectly ripe tannins. These wines are not to be missed.
Kerin O'Keefe: 96 Points
Showing structure and finesse the Il Marroneto 2020 Brunello is a wonderful expression of the vintage and shows the estate?s hallmark elegance and class. It opens with aromas of violet ripe forest berry camphor and pine forest that on the focused savory palate segue into wild strawberry ripe Marasca cherry cake spice and crushed mint. It?s balanced with fine-grained tannins and a core of tangy acidity. Drink 2028?2035. 14.5% Kerin O?Keefe March
Decanter: 96 Points
Definitely among the vintage?s anomalies Il Marroneto?s 2020 is more overtly structured than its 2019 counterpart. While the latter verges on dainty and ethereal the 2020 is steelier in resolve and almost austere by comparison. Proprietor Alessandro Mori also felt it needed longer in wood so this saw a total of 45 months in Slavonian oak casks. Subtle and sweet to start it flits with strawberry and cherry blossom before taking on earthier tones. Elegantly weighted but still tight the palate is built around pure red cherry and raspberry embedded with nutmeg and incense. Chalky and layered the tannins sport an assertive bite. Give it a couple of years.
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
The Il Marroneto 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is a wine of special depth and elegance. Alessandro Mori tells me that fermentation in 2020 proceeded nicely with what he describes as a "primordial stew" of grape must resulting in high pressure "geysers" or "liquid bombs" that rip right through the cap because of pressure build-up. Someone is having tons of fun in the winery. High temperatures (between 36 to 38 degrees Celsius) serve to fix the wine's ruby color and the elegance of its perfumes which are more floral than fruity. At the end of fermentation he manages the skins with light wetting by hand with a tube. This vintage offers softness and a silky texture that feels glossy to the palate.
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