Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

A bit darker than typical. Aromas lean to the riper, darker spectrum. Some leather, truffle, earth, dust. There's some red/purple floral, a touch of vanilla, and a spot of candied red fruits. The palate is lovely, with a nicely lifted medium body, fresh, balanced; very fine tannins, good finish. Should age well. Drink 2024-2038. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Bright brick red>garnet, clear. Sous bois, purple floral, nice baking spices, and red berry perfumes. The palate is well balanced, juicy, and lifted, and the final is solid, though this will demand some time for the tannins to resolve. Nice, on the lighter, more elegant side of the equation, drink 2023-2037. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Aromas of oak, vitamin K, dust, with some swirling, super bright cherry. The palate is med/med+, it's deep, long, and promises a good, if not top-tier performance. This may drink on the earlier side of the equation, but that's not to say it won't be drinking well in 2040, too. Given the structure, balance, recommended+, drink 2026-2040+

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Every year I taste these on release, and every year these are closed off. This is the nature of this producer's Brunello - it needs time. In my 20+ years with this wine, depending on the vintage, it can be from 8-13 years after release that this is revealing its true message. To say a lot about it before then seems a bit futile, but here goes: Initial aromas are modern/creamy oak, ripe red berries, cream, red currant. Lovely mouthfeel - before the searing acids and brutal, but finely grained tannins take hold, that is. I really like the medium body, the balance, and the understated nature of it all. I think this will blossom beautifully. Drink 2027-2045. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red cherries, some red currant, lots of oak on the nose, and palate. Missing the freshness, lift, and ultimately balance that I prefer. This is likely to drink early; not something I would purchased. For the style, it's
recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Some trace floral, lots of oak, and a touch of mushroom on the nose. The palate is med-full, it's creamy, a bit glossy. Not something I would care to drink, but no doubt many will like the style. Good finish, avg(-) acids. Drink 2022-2033.recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good typicity of aromas and flavors, and a lighter garnet color, with plenty of fresh acidity. This is in a traditional vein, with higher acids, fine tannins, and an avg finish. Nice. Drink 2023-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red berries, some soil, a touch of vanilla, with most following to the creamy med+ bodied palate. Finish is med/med+. Good, for the style; lacks freshness, lift. recommended. Drink 2021-2032.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Floral, beautiful perfumes, with good soil, cherry, and new leather aromas on the nose. The palate is cheeky - it enters med(-) body, and quickly moves to med(+), with substantial length, and great balance. Regal. Drink 2024-2045. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Cherry, soil, dust, some sage and thyme. Palate is juicy, balanced, lifted, and traditional in style. The medium body offers a med+ finish, very fine tannins, and lovely freshness. Very much to my palate; give it some time to rest. Drink 2023-2039. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good typicity, med body, red fruited. long, with nice elegant lines. Should age well, though it'll need some time to rest. recommended+, drink 2023-2039.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Nice, more or less ready for most palates. Med/med+ body, with the oak showing a deft, fine touch. Good acidity/freshness, and good++ length. Give it a few short years, and enjoy thru 2038. Quite elegant, with depth and breadth that will come with some more bottle rest. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Very full, ripe, deep, some EtOH. This is almost plush on the palate, though it manages enough acidity to keep fair balance. A big, deep wine, that's likely to need 10-15 years for my palate, which is to say most will enjoy the heck out if it very soon. Drink 2022-2039. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Earth, mushrooms. sous bois, leather, dried herbs, just lovely on the nose. The color is brick red>garnet, it's bright, and clear. Stunning medium body, so elegant. Acids kick in and propel this to a long, deep finish. Medium body, red fruited, traditional, and simply gorgeous. Drink 2023-2039. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Some iron. leather, cherry, sage, marjoram on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, with a fine, glossy veneer. The fruits are red, the finish is med+. Some EtOH detracts, and I think these acids need another year in the bottle to better resolve. Good, 2023-2036. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Red berries, cream, some vanilla, a touch of soil on the nose. The body is med/med+, the tannins are sweet, and fine. Good+ length, and balance, though this will take a decade to evolve into a style I'd better appreciate. Drink 2022-2036. Somewhat foursquare today. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Soil, lovely soil, with some reduced notes at first. High acidity, fine, quite firm tannins - this is one for the cellar. Red fruited, a bit crunchy, with flavors and complexity that need more time to better develop. Drink 2026-2040+. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

My second time with this, and this bottle is slightly more fresh. Medium bodied, with avg freshness, finish. I'm just not feeling it in this vintage, and this producer represents a good percentage of my cellar. Maybe revisit in 2-4 years. Good, but I'm not a buyer. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red berries, some cherry, red currant, a touch of soil. The palate is decidedly full, seems more oaky/creamy/modern than I prefer, but I know I'm in the minority. Good++ length, and enough acidity to ultimately keep this balanced. A fine effort, and a delicious wine. Drink 2022-2043. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Bright cherry, citrus, pomegranate, some soil. Really elegant entry, med/med+ body, lots of fresh acidity - this is just lovely. Already offering a long finish, with very fine, sweet tannins. Excellent. Drink 2023-2040+. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Sweet oak, and ripe cherries/juice on the nose. Not so much a sense of place on the nose or palate. Creamy, ripe, plush. Not something I would enjoy. Good for the style?

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Sous bois, reduced notes, dark cherry. Not so clean on the nose or palate. A bit grainy, muddled. Maybe this needs time, but I'm just not feeling the freshness.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe, cherry liqueur, some soil, a touch of anise and vanilla. The palate is medium, the finish is medium, and the freshness is medium. It's good, but falls short of anything more on this date. Drink 2023-2037. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Blood orange, cherry, soil, some leather. The palate is med/med+, good+ acids, the fruits are red, and the finish is long. There's an understated elegance here that bodes well. Not so much a sense of place today, but I think it will show quite differently in 5-6 more years, revealing more of its ultimate character. A touch of heat in the middle. recommended, with upside noted.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Red fruits, creamy oak, no real sense of place on the nose. The palate follows, with medium body, creamy, a bit anonymous. It's warm in the center, and glossy on the finish, so no doubt many will love this. For the style, recommended. Drink 2021-2029

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

A good sense of place on the nose, with much more acid/balance/terroir than I was expecting on the palate. Good, more traditional than modern, to be sure. A bit of warmth in the center that I think will resolve in a few years. Very fine tannins, good+ purity. It's not ideal for my palate, but I think time may correct this, bringing the wine more into balance. highly recommended, drink 2025-2040+

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good soil, bright red cherry, some eucalyptus, citrus, and fresh leather. The palate is that power-meets-weightless genre, with significant focus, flavor, and elegance. This is a home run, and I can only imagine it in a few more years. Red-fruited, vivid perfumes, elegant mouthfeel, and a long, deep finish. Wow. highly recommended, drink 2025-2041.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Soil, forest floor, red fruits, some EtOH on the nose. The palate is med-full, there's substantial weight/girth in the middle. It's more modern than traditional, but it's also a pretty delicious wine. Bravo! Drink 2022-2034.
recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Candied cherries, EtOH, plums, chocolate. Medium-bodied, good acids that are not in full balance just now, leaving something of a hole in the mid-palate. Avg/avg+ finish. Good for the style; not my preferred one.
recommended. Drink 2023-2035.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good typicity on the nose, less so on the palate, where it's more style than grape. That said, it's well made, shows good flavors, some depth, and an avg+ finish. It's a bit modern, but it's the style. recommended, drink 2021-2032.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Creamy oak, ripe red fruits, some preserved cherry, and some purple flowers. The palate is med/med+, shows lots of elegance, moderate depth (just now), but it's not a style I prefer any longer. That said, it's quite good, and should age quite well. Drink 2023-2040.
highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Lovely red fruits, floral perfume, citrus, pomegranate, Tuscan dust. A traditional palate/style that's med/med+, shows lots of fresh acidity, good+ balance, and an avg finish. This will likely improve, and its apogee may well be in 6-8 years. Very fine effort; modernists won't like it. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Dried herbs, cherry, dust, some leather. The palate is warm, full, juicy but not blowsy. This is well made/grown, and will no doubt offer added complexity in 3-4 more years, drinking until 2037+. Quite nice even if today there is a touch of EtOH in the middle that distracts.
recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Very good sense of place, it's a touch reduced just now, but with some more swirling, this quite nice. Red and purple flowers on the nose, with some leather, a touch of vanilla, and ripe cherries. Most follow to the med+ palate that's good, but is missing the freshness acidity to carry this to the next level. Drink 2022-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Lovely nose that offers a great sense of grape, and a good sense of place. In the next few years this is going to reveal much more of the elegance that I've come to love in this wine. Medium bodied, near perfect balance, with the oak so well judged and quite well resolved already. Sweet tannins on the long, winding finish. Lovely. Drink 2022-2038. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Quite nice, traditional palate offering good+ acidity, fine tannins, and a finish that while today is only avg, I've no doubt will improve from here. For the traditionalist, not the modernist, with its bright, fresh red fruit, sage, and leather notes in a well-balanced package. Drink 2024-3039. recommended+

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Herbal, woodsy nose, with leather, mushroom, and soil notes. The palate is decidedly traditional; medium body, high-ish acidity, avg length that will develop with time. A joy that will begin to blossom, and add some weight, in 3-4 more years. Lovely, understated. Drink 2023-2037. recommended+

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Darker red fruits, mushrooms, some purple flowers. Medium-bodied, but with a bit of a hole in the mid-palate - the finish just trails off as I was expecting it to ramp up. Decent. Drink 2021-2031.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Iron, mushroom, forest floor, and dusty cherries on the nose. The palate is medium/med+, with so-so acidity. There's not much of a finish. This seems ready to drink now; maybe better with 30 minute of air. OK.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Earthy, floral and red fruit-driven nose. Nice, fresh and abundant acidity, with well judged oak, and overall balance leading to a good+ finish. Quite nice, if not overly complex just now. Drink 2022-2034. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Some new oak, herbs, and plenty of soil tones to the nose. The palate is medium-bodied, this is juicy, and leans a bit modern, but is well-judged and in no way out of balance or OTT. Nice finish that will likely improve with time. A solid effort, with a good flavor profile. Drink 2023-2035.
recommended, with upside noted.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Bright cherry, loads of soil notes, leather, Tuscan dust, and a bit of citrus on the nose. Traditional, med/med+ palate with gushing, fresh acidity. The final is medium just now - this will begin to blossom in another 3-4 years, and live for 15-20. Red fruited, very fine tannins, avg+ complexity already. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Lovely, earthy nose, with reflections of ripe cherry, herbs. The palate is medium bodied, leans modern, with good acidity, and a creamy finish. Not in my style, but many will love this effort. The finish builds. Nice for the style. Drink 2021-2032. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Complex nose with some EtOH poking through. Ripe cherry, dust, and a hint of vanilla. The palate leans modern, with a medium acidity, medium body, and a modest finish. It's OK. Drink 2021-2030.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Absolutely incredible nose, combining place, vintage, and grapes in a very special way. The excellence continues on the medium-bodied, highly elegant, red-fruited palate. The finish is superb, long, and builds in intensity. This a home run. Brilliant. Drink 2024-2048. very highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Oak, cherry and dust dominate the nose today. The palate is a bit tight, the finish is medium at best. There's something of a hole in the mid-palate. It' ok, not something I would search out. Drink 2021-2031.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Brilliant, nicely perfumed nose offering good typicity of place and grape; interesting in a good way. The palate enters a touch bitter, with the acids coming on a bit too strong just now. This needs a few years of rest, and may well improve from here. I'd drink a glass, if offered. Probably more than one. Drink 2023-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Loads of citrus, spice; complex, and lovely nose. The palate is traditional, medium-bodied, with good+ fresh acidity. Nice traditional interpretation, with the best yet to come. Solid. Drink 2024-2036. recommended, with upside noted.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Pretty, soil and red fruit-driven nose. Traditional, elegant palate, with very fine tannins, and impressive focus and balance. Very nice, and something I would seek out. Drink 2024-2040. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Some kirsch, dark cherry, dust, dried herbs, and old leather. Leans modern on the palate, and shows fine, slightly sweet tannins. Really good tension, and overall, well judged. A fine effort. Best 2024-2035. Easily
recommended, and is likely to improve from here.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Gorgeous nose full of ripe red fruit, cherry, and soil notes. The palate is traditional, med+, with great tension/balance, and focus. This is an excellent effort; the finish is long, builds to nearly a minute finish. Quite impressive, and worth seeking out. Drink 2024-2043. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Gorgeous, highly perfumed nose. Great sense of place, grape and all the freshness one could want from the vintage. This needs several years before it's entering its preferred window. Drink 2025-2045. Excellent.
highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red fruits, creamy oak on the nose. No real sense of grape, place, or freshness. The palate is loose, round, juicy, and the finish is avg(-). OK.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Earth, cherry, dust, fresh leather on the nose. The palate is traditional, with good, vibrant acidity; finish is med+ already. This shows the goods to age well, improving from here. Quite nice. Drink 2024 - 2042. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red fruits, a touch of smoke, barnyard, old leather. The palate is fresh, the acids just a bit loose right now; needs to add some tension, or else the wood/tannins will outlive the fruit. Good. Drink 2024-2039. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Really earthy nose - in the best of ways. Lots of intrigue and complexity on the nose, and the highly traditional palate is a thing of true beauty. That said, this is going to require a lot of patience before entering its preferred window, 2025-2044. Excellent, really elegant, with lots of resonating persistence. BUY. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Fantastic nose; complex, perfect ripeness, highly complex already. My second time with this in the past 2 weeks, and I'm really loving it. Med+ body, loads of fresh acids, depth of flavor and a long, rewarding and resonating finish. Excellent. Brava, Francesca! Drink 2023-2042. highly recommended+

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Excellent. Great nose, emphasizing the sense of place, and offering the freshness of the grape and vintage. The palate is traditional, juicy, focused, and understated. Great effort, and one I'm sure to be loading up on before leaving Montalcino. Drink 2024-2041.
highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe cherries, earth, mushrooms, fresh leather, some dust. The palate enters full, then the acids rush in to keep this fresh and balanced. Very fine, sweet tannins, and already offering a med+ finish. This is going to be great after a few years of rest. Great depth of flavors. Drink 2024-2036. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Spicy, earthy nose, with cherry, some white and red flowers. The palate is a bit loose knit, the acids are more juicy than lifting. This will drink well in its youth. Medium/med+ body, avg/avg+ finish. Red fruited, sweet tannins. Good. recommended, and likely to improve a bit from here.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Oatmeal, cedar, some earth dominating just now. Medium bodied, a bit loose-knit and blowsy on the palate. Avg finish, red-fruited. OK. Drink 2022-2030.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Pretty nose, full of baking spice, creamy oak, earth, and fresh leather. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, leans modern with its creamy berry and oak mid-palate. Tannins clamp down a bit on the end, so give this a few years at least. Ultimately missing the freshness, and lift to go to the next level, but good nonetheless. Drink 2022-2031. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Reduced at first, then it burst with spicy red fruit/cherry, baking spice, and mushrooms. Good palate that's still in a formative stage, i.e. it's holding back just now. Juicy in the middle, I'm hoping these acids firm up; there's good depth to the flavor, and the complexity is already good+. Nice, and may well improve. Drink 2023-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Lovely, highly perfumed nose. Red fruited, with a layered, somewhat plush and certainly modern-leaning palate. Not in my preferred style, per se, but a lot to admire here. Drink 2022-2037. Quite good. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Dust, ripe cherry, some forest floor. The palate is traditional-leaning, with good but not great acidity. The finish is medium, the flavor depth is medium. Good, not great. Drink 2021-2031. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Lots of Fr oak on the nose, with little sense of place just now. Ripe red currant, some basil, truffle cream. The palate is med+ bodied, shows something of a tiny hole mid-palate, and the finish now is avg. Good, not great. Needs time to shine. Drink 2024-2034. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Absolutely stunning nose. Spice, earth, gilded red fruits. I'm in love. The palate is most certainly young, but this clearly (and already) has elegance and structure to spare. Perhaps more importantly, there's quite depth of flavor already, too. Drink 2024-2040. Very nice. highly recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Oak is dominating the nose and palate just now. That said, the medium body offers avg freshness, complexity, and length. Good, short of anything more. Drink 2022-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good soil, mushroom and leather notes on the nose. The fruit is red, the palate is medium bodied, leans modern, and the finish is average. Not something I would seek out. Fans of this address will like it just fine. Drink 2022-2031.

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Spicy, red-fruited nose, with some soil, and dust. Nice, if not exciting medium body, with avg acids and finish. Good, not great. Drink 2022-2031. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Highly complex, red-fruited nose. The palate is traditional, acids are good+. That said, this will need some time to add a bit of weight to the middle, and finish. Good, likely to improve, just give it the time it needs. Drink 2023-2033. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Simple nose, with some earth and fresh cherry. Traditional, medium-bodied palate with firm, sweet tannins. Good structure. This is more about potential than anything else just now. Drink 2024-2034.
recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Warm, cherry liqueur nose, with trace earth. Modern leaning on the palate, with some EtOH dominating the mid-palate. Avg freshness and length. Should drink well in its youth. OK. For the style, recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Earthy, truffle, anise and cherry nose. Warm cherry driven medium body that leans modern. Finish and acidity are average. It's ok. Drink 2021-2029. For the style, it's recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Woods, herbal, soil-driven. Lightly red-fruited, high-er acids, fine, gripping tannins. Shows traditional, with modest fruit depth. Nice, if a bit simple just now. recommended

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red fruits, trace soil, and leather. Medium, juicy body, with avg complexity and length. It's ok, it's simple, but it's likely a good companion to food, too. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Complex, spicy, and somewhat high-toned red fruits on the nose. The palate leans traditional, with avg acidity and length. It's falling short of its nose just now, but some bottle rest could help to improve that. Drink 2023-2033. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Loads of soil, leather, dried herbs, bright cherry, and baking spice on the nose. The palate is traditional, quite well lifted, and with time, will become even more elegant than it is now. I really like this, and I'd love to see it in 5-8 years, and beyond. Drink 2024-2042. highly recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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* second glass *

Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Just short of blockbuster on the nose, and med/med+ palate. Traditional, red fruited, nearly perfect ripeness and balance. Superb. BUY. Drink 2024-2044. highly recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

High-toned red fruits on the nose, some warmth. The palate leans modern, with a somewhat plush medium body. Decent acids, avg+ depth and length thanks to all the oak. Good for the style. Drink 2022-2032.
recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Very pretty nose, with a good sense of place and grape. The palate is slightly more traditional than modern, with a good well of fresh acids, avg+ balance, and a full, rewarding mid-palate and finish. Good+. Drink 2023-2035.recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Oak, light spice, and red flowers dominate the nose today. The palate is decidedly traditional, higher acids, medium body. In my wheelhouse, but unless this develops more length, and complexity, I'm not a buyer. To revisit. Drink 2024-2038. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe red fruits on the nose, some soil. Traditional, well-lifted medium bodied palate, with good+ length, and complexity already. Should age well, just be sure to give it some needed bottle rest. HOLD. Drink 2024-2037. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Good red fruits to the palate, with a good dose of earth, some vanilla. The palate leans modern, but there's good balance, freshness, and avg+ length already. Good for the style, and should improve from here. Something of a guilty pleasure, for me, anyway. Drink 2022-2034. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Herbal, woodsy, and leathery nose. Red-fruited, leans traditional, with a medium body, and medium complexity. This appears rather understated, and backward just now. May well improve from here, but needs lots of bottle rest. Drink 2024-2034. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Ripe cherry, some Tuscan dust, creamy oak, a whiff of vanilla. The palate is completely approachable already, with a creamy medium+, body, with sweet (and resolved) tannins, good acidity, and a good+ finish. Pour this for your friend that says he/she doesn't like Sangiovese - their story will change. 14,0% abv., drink 2020-2025. recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Very good. This is a new label for La Rasina, a Cru wine that comes from vines just a hundred meters east of the winery. This vineyard was his (winemaker Marco Mantengoli) father Vasco's first planting that has now been replanted; these replanted vines are now in their tenth year. I have to say, this took me straight back to Marco's very first wine, the 1997 - now, an elegant wine that is a case study in place and grape. With the Brunello (i.e. normale) wine, just after release, I usually find the oak a bit too obtrusive. What we have here, however, is a lovely wine with a medium/medium+ body, sweet tannins, AND plenty of fresh acidity, rendering a rather elegant, and deeply flavorful, and well-balanced example; will improve from here, too. I was not expecting such a nice surprise, bravo, Marco! This is a great success for this estate. The 14,5% abv., is already nicely resolved; drink 2021-2039. highly recommended

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j

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Benvenuto Brunello 2020, Montalcino

Brilliant. This is my first time with the table wine from Cupano. Absolutely no sign of anything relating to vintage, but as the entoeca told me the few bottles they have were received a short time ago (from the producer). For such a young wine, it's not only very approachable, it's totally ready. Moreover, it's the mouthfeel, and the finish that proved hauntingly good. The first glass was medium-bodied, with the most sensual, delicate layers of sweet red berry fruit. This is the kind of wine that makes you pause during your first sip, as if to stop time - it did for me, anyway. All the acid, balance and length one could ask for from a simple (i.e. not Brunello) table wine from this region. I will be acquiring all I can find, and I'll never stop looking. I've sent a message to Andrea, the new winemaker, to see if this is 100% Sangiovese, or some blend. Drink now thru 2028. highly recommended

** confirmed, 100% Sangiovese **

Full 2015 Brunello report here https://wp.me/p7fulH-27j