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2017 Le Potazzine (Gorelli) Brunello di Montalcino

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Latest Sale Price

February 1, 2026 - $77

Estimate

RATINGS

97Wine Enthusiast

Aromas of crushed mint, pressed rose and perfumed berry mingle with warm spice in this dazzling red. Thanks to some of the highest vineyard altitudes in the denomination, it boasts vibrancy and finesse in its flavors of ripe black cherry, juicy blood orange, licorice and crushed mint. Taut, elegant tannins and fresh acidity keep it balanced and focused.

95The Wine Advocate

...pretty succession of wild berry, cherry and plum aromas, along with light spice, crushed flowers and perfumed potting soil...distinguished by a touch of bay leaf and maybe a warmer note of cured tobacco as well.

94Vinous / IWC

...exotic mix of sweet smoke and cloves gives way to dusty black cherries and a twang of sour citrus...enters the palate with pure elegance, delicate and silky in feel, yet also delivering a core of salty minerals that adds unexpected depths to the vivid display of tart wild berries and inner spice...finishes with incredible persistence but also poise, structured yet primary...

92Wine Spectator

Lively, offering cherry, strawberry, plum, earth and wild herb aromas and flavors. A dense array of tannins provides support, leaving a burly impression on the finish. Fine balanced and length.

17.5Jancis Robinson

...hint of black pepper and black tea leaves... Succulent red fruit with elevated acidity but properly tied into the fruit and with a layer of sandy tannins supporting the whole.

PRODUCER

Le Potazzine (Gorelli)

Tenuta le Potazzine was established in 1993, when Giuseppe Gorelli decided to launch his own label after years of working on his father’s estate. Gorelli and his wife Gigliola Giannetti named their estate for the small, charming birds called le potazzine that migrate to and from the area, and because “le potazzine” was the nickname given to their young daughters by one of their grandmothers. With only 12 acres of vineyards, the estate’s production is limited to about 50,000 bottles annually. The estate produces well-reviewed Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino. Gambero Rosso generally awards the wines 2 glasses, and sometimes 3 glasses, the highest recommendation. Gambero Rosso wrote in 2014 that the Gorellis “continue to offer an admirably graceful and breezy interpretation from their Sangiovese grapes…Le Potazzine’s Brunellos are recognizable for their crystal clear fruit and their constraint.”

REGION

Italy, Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino

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.

VINTAGE

2017 Le Potazzine (Gorelli) Brunello di Montalcino