Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino 2020

There is something heady and invigorating about this: a lifted nose of oak and fruit with notions of Marasca cherry, violet and pomegranate. Earthy hints appear, too, as do nuances of sage and soy with increasing age. The body has densely woven, firm but fine tannins, according to the wine a great structure; a skeleton upon which fruit, oak and aroma can express themselves fully. The wine unfolds slowly in the glass, becoming more sinuous and sensuous with air while the gentle astringency of the tannins is very moreish. Bottle age brings welcome tertiary notes of leather and herb, both grip and aroma are long lasting. This is impressive upon release but even more true to itself with advancing age. 

95 Points-

Elegantly woven together, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is herbaceous with compelling aromas of tarragon, red cherry preserve, medicinal herbs, saline, and dried rose petals. It displays graceful ease and arch through the palate, with its layers gently coaxing through a long finish. It is noted by red raspberry, sweet herbs, fresh orange, and softly textured stony earth, and it has refreshing acidity with a delicate throughline and ultra-fine tannins. This is an absolutely gorgeous and gracefully transparent expression to drink over the next 15-20 years. Rating: 95+

94 Points-
I like the dried violet undertones to the red and blue fruit, along with some walnut husk and olive. There’s so much flavor here, packed into a compact core framed by silky, firm tannins. Dense and focused. Try after 2024.

94 Points-
A graceful red hallmarked by cherry, strawberry, rose, mineral and Mediterranean herbs. Lacy and succulent yet firm, ending on the minerally side. Vibrant and long.

94 Points- Darkly alluring and dusty in style, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino impresses with a blend of dried citrus peels, shavings of cedar, flowery undergrowth, black cherries and Tuscan dust. It’s soft-textured, buoyant even, with depths of velvety, textural red and blue fruits and sweet liquid inner violet tones that stain the palate. The 2018 finishes fresh and long with notions of wild blueberry and hints of balsamic spice, framed by a coating of fine tannin. Romitorio used all of their fruit that is usually reserved for the Riserva to bolster their Brunello in 2018. Production was also down by 15% due to a strict selection to eliminate moldy berries. That said, this is a total success for the vintage.

93 Points-
Assembled from the estate’s highest altitude plots - between 350 and 450 metres - Castello Romitorio’s classic Brunello embodies the grace of the vintage without sacrificing depth or flavour. Aromas are ethereal at first, then take hold with fetching rosehip, liquorice root and juniper scents. Inner-mouth sweetness of pure cherry is offset by succulent acidity and powdery tannins. There's sneaky substance here with a lingering presence. The Filo di Seta may have more stuffing for ageing, but I can’t help being completely enamoured by the sheer elegance (for the price) of this.
 
92 Points -
Robust and powerful from the start, the Castiglion del Bosco 2018 Brunello di Montalcino shows broad shoulders and ample brawn. But at the end of the day, the wine's concentration remains on the medium to medium-rich side of the spectrum. It stays firmly within the boundaries of Sangiovese. Dark fruit and blackcurrant segue to savory notes of toasted spice, black olive, earth and rusty nail.