Brunello di Montalcino Rennina, Gaja - Pieve Santa Restituta 2018

The 2018 Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is not a single vineyard wine but is made from 3 small parcels of grapes from three different vineyards. The first impression on the nose is of lots of peppery, spicy oak notes but these dense, peppery, dark fruit aromas turn into smoke, cream and sweet tobacco on standing. A beautiful, hedonistic texture and weight greets you on tasting and the wine glides effortlessly across the palate and gently disappears. This 2018 has a lovely, bright acidity, very fine tannins and a super smooth texture – a delightfully complete and harmonious wine. Typically, 15,000 bottles of Rennina are produced each year.

Complex, wild and energetic with an intellectual array of fresh truffles, bramble berries, bark, cardamom, dried porcini, miso and rosemary. Full-bodied yet agile, with firm, tight tannins and sharp acidity. Powerful and tight. Needs a few years to open. Try after 2025.

Pieve Santa Restituta made the hard decision to skip production in the hot and dry 2017 vintage, and thus returns to the market with its 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina. Made with a blend of fruit from three vineyard sites with very different soil profiles, the Rennina maintains its distinct personality with elegant aromas of red fruit, forest berry, cassis, balsam herb and toasted almond. This vintage shows a hint of baked clay or black olive that underlines the warm vintage conditions. The wine is generous in terms of mouthfeel, with a nice fullness that remains graceful at the same time.