Gorelli Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

About

The Gorelli company is a small star that shines on the Montalcino hill.

Gorelli is one of newest wineries in Montalcino but owner/winemaker Giuseppe Gorelli is no newcomer to the region. Born and bred in Montalcino, Giuseppe worked with the grand master of Sangiovese, Giulio Gambelli, at the Consorzio di Brunello di Montalcino for fifteen years before returning to his family’s winery, Due Portine. He then went on to establish the renowned Le Potazzine. In 2017 he struck out on his own and leased six hectares north of the town centre.

“I had set myself a date, 2018. Everything fell into place in the right way, the architect of my restart was Maurizio Lambardi (also a wine producer in Montalcino ed) from whom I took over the leased land”.

In addition to the 6 hectares of vineyards Gorelli has approximately 400 olive trees from which the superfine extra virgin olive oil “Made in Montalcino” is born.

The Gorelli company has clear ideas, the years of work behind it have led to a precise philosophy both in the vineyard and in the cellar.

“My theory is extremely simple both in the fermentation phase and in the refinement phase. Quality is made in the vineyard and I must say that these, thanks to Lambardi, were really well kept. The result is characterized by naturalness with wines that have their distinctive traits in finesse and elegance. Let us not forget – adds Gorelli – that Rosso di Montalcino is not a trivial product either”.

Obviously there is no shortage of projects and innovations for the future, pending the debut on the market, in 2023, of Brunello di Montalcino.

“I have started making an IGT which will be released in January-February next year. It is always Sangiovese but fermented with 30% stalks, just as it was once done. And in the best vintages, in the future, I already have in mind to produce Brunello Riserva”.

In the Vineyard

Gorelli has leased 6ha north of the town centre comprised of 1.10 hectares for Brunello, 2.2 for Rosso di Montalcino and 3 for IGT Toscana. The vineyards, in the coolest part of the DOCG (dare we say sub zone!) at an altitude of 340 metres and facing north east, yield refined and beautifully perfumed Sangiovese.

In the Winery

In the cantina Giuseppe uses ambient yeasts, long macerations of between 30-35 days for both Rosso and Brunello and the oak is mostly Slavonian, with various sizes from both Garbellotto and Pauscha. Rosso di Montalcino ferments half in cask and half in stainless steel and is aged for ten months in cask. Brunello is fermented only in cask and aged for forty months. Both wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. These are classic Montalcino wines at their finest with laser like purity. All the markers of great Sangiovese (red cherry, berry, floral and mineral/earth notes) are in detail, the palate juicy and complex driven by more by finesse and elegance over power.

Vintage 2019 in Montalcino

The current releases from Montalcino are an embarrassment of riches for collectors and fans of the appellation. … classic 2019 Brunellos, the high-energy and fruit-forward 2021 Rossos.

…this is a year where the entire region excelled, from southwest to east and northeast to west. Frankly stated, finding a 2019 that doesn’t show remarkable balance, vivid fruit and freshness is a difficult task. In my opinion, this is always a mark of a great year. The highs are exceptionally high, and the lows are few and far between. What’s more, this is a year where many lesser wines excelled, making picking out a 2019 Brunello a relatively easy affair.

This is a vintage of radiance and appeal without any sensation of over-ripeness or lack of complexity. The wines are aromatically intense and full of dimension, with translucent color, fruit typicity and the ability to communicate a sense of place. They are structured and built for cellaring, often showing their best after being open for over two days in bottle. The terms classic, racy, cool-toned, crunchy and sleek litter my tasting notes, and while many 2019s display an inviting personality today, they are balanced for the cellar and sure to mature beautifully over the next ten to fifteen years, if not more. This is the vintage we’ve all been waiting for. 

Eric Guido, Vinous

2019 ranks close to 2016 in terms of overall excellence…

What struck me most about this vintage is what I perceive as the possible beginning, or distant stirrings, of a new identity. It’s too early to call it a “new wave,” or “nouvelle vague” in French, but cinephiles might recognize certain patterns, a desire for experimentation and a spirit of iconoclasm.

I’m referring to the increasingly tight-knit group of artisanal winemakers like Il Marroneto, Le Chiuse, Le Ragnaie, Pian dell’Orino, Poggio di Sotto, Salicutti and Stella di Campalto, who are independently but simultaneously pushing the bar higher. Their work builds upon the timeless classics created by Biondi-Santi, Cerbaiona, Soldera and Salvioni.

A common remark from vintners was how uniformly easy 2019 fruit was to farm and ferment.

Elevation is one of the most talked about issues in the appellation today. Appellation guidelines once fixed the ceiling for Brunello di Montalcino at 600 meters above sea level, but that was recently raised to 650 meters. The highest point, the Passo del Lume Spento, sits at 621 meters in elevation. There has been a rush of important investments recently in these higher and cooler areas.

The generic 2019 flavor profile sees lots of dark fruit without excessive ripeness. There is good balance between acidity, concentration and tannins, which feel elegantly fine-grained and sometimes chalky.

The 2019s are also distinguished by more concentration and fruit weight that remains balanced and elegant.”

Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

“The 2019 vintage finally gave us all reason to exhale because we harvested with perfect ripeness and without worrying too much about fruit selection. Everyone around Montalcino threw big harvest parties to sing and celebrate the extraordinary quality of fruit,”

“Fruit from 2019 showed elegance coming into the winery. This vintage was born elegant.”

Alessandro Mori, Il Marroneto

Where in the World is Gorelli?