97-Points by James Suckling.
Only 200 cases imported!
From the prestigius producer and the fantastic 2016 vintage. Both of Gaja’s cru Brunello demonstrate the generous warmth and salty breezes of the Tavernelle zone in Montalcino’s central southwest. Rennina, which is assembled from three plots surrounding the church after which the winery is named, is the more extroverted of the two.
Some much shaved black truffles to the blackberry, walnut and chocolate undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered with chewy yet soft tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Smoke, mahogany and wet-earth undertones. The wine is buzzing with energy and vitality, with a lifted and an especially brilliant set of aromas. Best after 2024.
- Italy's first DOCG in July 1980, alongside Piedmont's Barolo.
- Brunello di Montalcino is a red DOCG Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino, in the province of Siena, located about 80 km south of Florence, in the Tuscan wine region.
Aging
Brunello: 4-2-4
Brunello Riserva: 5-2-6
Brunello (annata): minimum 4 years of aging, including at least 2 years in wood and at least 4 months in bottle; it can be released starting January 1 of the 5th year after harvest.
Brunello Riserva: minimum 5 years of aging, including at least 2 years in wood and at least 6 months in bottle; release is January 1 of the 6th year after harvest.
- Sangiovese Grosso or Prugnolo Gentile (locally Brunello): Noted for having thicker-skinned berries, and because of this, Brunello produces wines with exceptionally bold fruit flavors, high tannin, and high acidity.
About the Winery:
- The story of the Gaja winery can be traced to a singular, founding purpose: to produce original wines with a sense of place which reflect the tradition and culture of those who made it. This philosophy has inspired five generations of impeccable winemaking. It started over 150 years ago when Giovanni Gaja opened a small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement the food he served. In 1859, he founded the Gaja winery, producing some of the first wine from Piedmont to be bottled and sold outside the region. In 1994, Gaja expanded to new places and acquired its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino
Notes from the Winemaker:
- The designation Rennina (rehn-NEE-nah) first appears in the High Middle Ages and is derived from the late-Roman name of the estate, Fundus Rescianum, denoting a state-owned farm. Since the Gaja family's acquisition of the historic estate in 1994, three growing sites have been devoted to the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso grapes for the production of Brunello di Montalcino: Santo Pietro (St. Peter), Castagno (Chestnut Tree), and Pian dei Cerri (Turkish Oak Flats). Here, lime-rich subsoils, southwest exposure, and ventilation arriving from the Tyrrhenian sea to the west deliver well-balanced Brunello di Montalcino, defined by its characteristic red fruit notes, minerality, and polished tannins.
Gaja 'Rennina' Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 2016
Style
RedVintage
2016
Bin
75
