Pieve Santa Restituta 2019: the Gaja Midas touch”

Pieve Santa Restituta have just released their 2019 Brunello di Montalcinos. The combination of the spectacular 2019 vintage with what the Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner calls the “Gaja Midas touch” is a winning formula. The wines are highly acclaimed by the critics: Monica Larner gives the crus 97+ and 97 points. They are likely to be in high demand.

Pieve Santa Restituta lies in southern Montalcino. Gaja have been making wines at their property here since 1994, and the estate is renowned for its two crus, Rennina and Sugarille. They come from soils rich in galestro, the schistous clay that imparts depth and complexity to many of the finest wines in Montalcino.

Rennina comes from three separate plots of south-west facing vines and is known for its firm tannic structure, savoury aromatics and ageability. Sugarille, from a single 4.5 hectare plot which faces south, is more immediately approachable, with pronounced aromatics and fine, elegant tannins. The wines are fermented for around three weeks before maturation for 24 months in oak. They then rest for a further six months in concrete tanks before bottling.

Like other estates in Montalcino, Santa Restituta benefitted from a particular set of climatic conditions in 2019. The year was notable among recent vintages for being warm but – crucially – not too hot. Well-timed rain over summer also helped to refresh the vines. The resulting wines are intensely fragrant, concentrated, and 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. He calls it “a vintage of radiance and appeal… the vintage we’ve all been waiting for”.

This is a strong set of releases from one of Italy’s leading producers.

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