One of the very best wines from the outstanding 2019 vintage in Brunello comes from Le Chiuse. Kerin O’Keefe rates it 100 points, calling it a “stellar wine” and “truly mesmerising”. Given this success, it is looks like an excellent buy at just £378 in bond per six.
Le Chiuse is a tiny, six hectare estate we have followed for some time. It is famed for the quality of its terroir. For many years, the grapes went into Biondi Santi’s riserva, an arrangement which continued until 1993 when current owner Simonetta Valiani inherited the land. The estate benefits from a northerly, high altitude site with water-retaining soils, giving wines of finesse and elegance. The vineyards are organically farmed, and the wines are matured in traditional large Slavonian oak casks.
Like other estates in Montalcino, Le Chiuse benefitted from a particular set of climatic conditions in 2019. The year was notable among recent Brunello vintages for being warm but – crucially – not too hot. Well-timed rain over summer also helped to refresh the vines, resulting in intensely fragrant, concentrated wines that are superbly balanced.
The vintage has met with widespread critical acclaim. “I’ve never tasted so many drop-dead-gorgeous young Brunellos from a single vintage”, says leading Brunello expert Kerin O’Keefe. Eric Guido of Vinous rates 2019 similarly highly, calling it “a vintage of radiance and appeal… the vintage we’ve all been waiting for”.
Alongside Le Chiuse’s Brunello, we are offering the estate’s superb Rosso di Montalcino. Made in a similar way to the Brunello but approachable earlier, this is an excellent Rosso.
These are exemplary wines from a top notch estate. They are likely to be in high demand.
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