This is a remarkable Brunello from a COVID-19 vintage that launched many curveballs at producers. The Castello Romitorio 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is noticeably a step above its peers thanks to its seamless mouthfeel, its bright fruit concentration and its balanced freshness. It ages in oak for 24 months, and the grapes are picked from a site with cool clay soils. The finish is soft and polished. If you were to buy one village Brunello from the accessible 2020 vintage, let me direct your attention to this wine. Production is 40,000 bottles.

Intense black cherry, blackberry, violet and mineral aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this taut, well-delineated red. Securely bound by the resonant structure, its refined tannins are assertive and beautifully integrated. The terrific aftertaste picks up elements of wild herbs, and this is amazingly long. A standout for the vintage. Best from 2027 through 2045. - BS

The nose of the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is led by candied orange peel, hazelnuts, fresh leather, sour cherry, and toasty oak. Nicely tuned on the palate, it has polished and well-extracted tannins, open-knit acidity, and a medium long spicy finish.

The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is vividly fresh and focused, with a cascade of dried strawberry, minty herbs and shaved cedar forming its seductive bouquet. This is a model of purity, with silky textures and a graceful feel. It showcases ripe red berry fruits complicated by a tactile staining of minerality. A gentle tug of fine tannins defines the finish. Hints of sour citrus mix with tart blackberry and licorice. - By Eric Guido on November 2023