Brunello di Montalcino 2020: Pian delle Querci's Masterpiece

Four generations of winemaking tradition in one bottle. Pian delle Querci, today led by Vittorio Pinti, ferments without commercial yeasts and ages 36 months in Slavonian botti for the Brunello di Montalcino 2020. This classic approach — minimal intervention from vineyard to bottle — is becoming rare in Montalcino, and in the glass you sense why the variety holds up.

Terroir

The estate sits at 250 metres elevation on clay-dominant soils; ideal for the long aging of Sangiovese Grosso (the “Brunello” clone). The 2020 harvest brought good balance between ripeness and acidity.

Vinification

Intense extraction with repeated délestage in early fermentation, followed by temperature control. No commercial yeasts; spontaneous fermentation with house yeasts. Then 36 months élevage in Slavonian oak botti — no barrique, so no overdone wood — and eight months on bottle before release.

Tasting notes

Deep garnet. Complex bouquet: red plum and wild strawberry up front, with black cherry and elderflower. Cedar, bergamot and lime zest as a secondary layer.

On the palate full bodied without weight. Velvety tannins, perfectly integrated rather than pushing. Long finish with earthy underlay.

Cellar or drink now

Drinks at peak strength after an hour in carafe; cellaring through 2030-2035 promises tertiary complexity. Classic pairings: bistecca alla fiorentina, braised wild boar, aged Pecorino Toscano.