2020 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino 750 ml

Altesino is a Tuscan blue-chipper and all-time Wine Access favorite. Their 2020 Brunello di Montalcino earned a whopping 95-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck’s Italian-wine ace Audrey Frick, who wrote, “I would be thrilled to have bottles in my cellar” to watch evolve over the next 15 years. 

Vinous chimed in too: “The 2020s at Altesino are beautiful wines that show the aromatics and energy of this sun-kissed vintage yet maintain outstanding balance.”

Mother Nature blessed Tuscany with near-perfect growing conditions in 2020: Warm, sun-drenched summer days followed the mild spring, while cool nights preserved crucial acidity. September brought gentle rains at precisely the right moment, allowing the Sangiovese to achieve exceptional phenolic ripeness without sacrificing structure.

The results are stunning. Brilliant ruby in the glass with garnet edges, Altesino’s 2020 Brunello bursts with aromas of sun-warmed strawberries, crushed red cherries, rose petals, and sweet fennel layered over tones of wet stone and dried thyme. The palate is finely knit, silky yet structured, with refined and seamlessly integrated tannins. It’s an approachable wine that will age for a decade plus. 

Altesino is located in a 14th-century palazzo, but its history as a wine estate goes back just 50 years, making it a baby by Brunello di Montalcino standards. Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini acquired Altesino in 2002, and since then, she and her winemaking team of Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci have staked out a position at the apex of the region, offering a modern and innovative take on one of Italy’s most beloved denominaziones. Composed of grapes from their Altesino, Macina, Pianezzine, and Castelnuovo dell’Abate vineyards, this bottle brings an elite level of quality and collectibility.