2021 Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino

Cerbaiona’s 2021 Brunello di Montalcino marks a psychological and physical rebirth for the estate, as the first vintage produced in the new technological winery using fruit from refurbished vineyards and a parcel-by-parcel harvest approach. This release represents the first Brunello made entirely under Matthew Fioretti’s vision, defining Cerbaiona as an atelier estate rooted in winemaking precision. The wine is beautifully complete on the aromatic front, distinguished by an elegant mineral signature that is especially pronounced in this vintage, lending clarity and lift. It opens on a timid note before growing steadily in intensity, revealing fine and delicate layers of spice and floral notes alongside evident complexity. Production totals 9,484 bottles, 300 magnums and 20 Jeroboams. (ML)

Let’s talk about Cerbaiona. This estate is the absolute high temple of traditional Sangiovese. When you combine this mythical terroir with a vibrating, classically structured vintage like 2021, the result is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you want to understand the soul of Montalcino, this is the bottle, and this is the vintage you absolutely must secure. The 2021 completely bypasses the heavy, baked notes that plague lesser estates in the region. The nose is a soaring, high-toned masterclass in precision. It delivers an intoxicating wave of crushed wild rose, sour cherry, and dried blood orange peel, all wrapped around a profound, cooling core of camphor and wet stone minerality. On the palate, it drives forward with a vertical, electric spine. It possesses that "crunchy," nervous energy that keeps the immense concentration of the 2021 vintage feeling completely weightless. The tannins are ultra-fine, chalky, and demanding. What a wine