2014 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino

Le Chiuse is in Pullera, just north of Montalcino. It had been part of the Biondi Santi family properties since the 18th century, but in 1986 Simonetta Valliani, a member of the family, leased a piece of the Biondi Santi property and with her husband began making her own Brunello. The property is especially well suited to growing Sangiovese Grosso and before Valliani took over these vineyards had been exclusively used for Riserva bottlings. In 1993 Valliani bought the property outright and began using the name Brunello Le Chiuse for her label. The 13-acres of vineyards are farmed organically and the estate produces 25,000 bottles annually. Gambero Rosso notes that though “Le Chiuse is a relatively young winery … (it is, nevertheless) well established on the dizzying heights of Montalcino winemaking….Sangiovese is interpreted with character and confident technical skill.”

Brunello di Montalcino is regarded as one of Italy’s best appellations. Located in south central Tuscany below Chianti, the wines of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are made of a Sangiovese clone called “brunello,” which means “little dark one,” a reference to the brown tones in the skin of the grape. Unlike some Tuscan appellations that allow other grapes to be blended with Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is entirely Sangiovese. Montalcino itself is a picturesque, hill-top town not especially well known for wine production until the mid-19th century, when a local vineyard owner isolated the brunello clone and planted it. Other growers followed suit. Nevertheless it wasn’t until 1970s that wine enthusiasts started paying attention to Brunello di Montalcino, which by then was becoming an outstanding wine. Today there are 120 estates in the DOCG, up from about 25 estates in 1975. Brunellos in general are bigger, darker, more tannic and more powerful wines than Chiantis or most other Sangioveses. By law they must be aged for four years, and two of those years must be in wooden barrels.