Pian delle Querci Brunello Riserva 2020
Pian delle Querci Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2020: a power Brunello with a wild, earthy vibe that asks for air and patience. My tasting note.
Some wines only give themselves up once you nudge them. Pian delle Querci Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2020 is one of those. On the first nose it sat firmly shut, as if the long bottle ageing had drawn it closed. Light and air did the rest. I tasted it at La Grande Bellezza in Amsterdam, and watching it open was the finest lesson of that day.
Pian delle Querci Brunello Riserva 2020 in brief
The Riserva is one hundred percent Sangiovese Grosso, from an estate of 48 hectares with 8.5 hectares of vineyard. Tufaceous clay soil at 250 metres, 3,300 vines per hectare. Fermentation happens in small stainless steel tanks with long maceration, then 36 months in young Slavonian oak and at least twelve months in bottle. 2020 was a trickier year in Montalcino, with rain in September, so strict selection was crucial.
Tasting Note
Appearance
Ruby, with the first signs of evolution at the rim.
Nose
Closed and held back at first. Give it light and air and the bouquet opens like a fan: tart black cherry, blackberry, cassis and strawberry, with oak notes lending depth.
Palate
A true power Brunello. Full and earthy, with oak notes bringing body and a wild, untamed vibe. Structure you feel standing there.
Finish
Long and powerful, with an earthy echo that lingers.
Quality
A powerful, earthy Riserva that shows exactly what this house stands for. But it asks for work: without air and patience it will not reveal itself.
Two honest caveats. First, that closed start: anyone who opens this bottle and pours straight away does the wine a disservice. Decanting here is not a luxury but a necessity. Second, the drinking window: the house says best from 2029, and that seems right. The power is already here, the finesse still needs time.
A pattern at this house
That closed start felt familiar. I tasted Pian delle Querci’s Riserva 2019 at the 2025 edition, and there it too was austere and held back on the first sip. Two vintages, the same behaviour. With this house’s Riserva, count on it needing time and air.
Drink or keep? Keep, and if you taste now: decant for at least an hour. Then you see where this wine will stand in a few years.
- Producer
- Pian delle Querci
- Wine
- Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2020
- Vintage
- 2020
- Region
- Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
- Grape
- Sangiovese Grosso (100%)
- Ageing
- 36 months young Slavonian oak + min. 12 months bottle
- Soil
- Tufaceous clay, 250 m, 3,300 vines/ha
- Alcohol
- 14%
Sources
- Pian delle Querci (official): piandellequerci.it
- Consorzio Vino Brunello di Montalcino: consorziobrunellodimontalcino.it
- La Grande Bellezza (tasting): lagrandebellezza.com
Tasted at La Grande Bellezza 2026 in Amsterdam. No partnership, independent assessment.
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