2019 Il Marroneto Madonna Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany

(99 Points)  This is a racy wine with deep layers, infinite complexity and a wild, almost mischievous personality. I have noticed that other Brunellos imitate this style, but none come close to the one and only. The Il Marroneto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie exudes immediate aromas that are vibrant, elegant and full of energy. This is a wine of light and power, and I am reminded of Spain's Comando G, especially considering its uniquely punchy quality. Sweet cranberry, coriander seed, cola, licorice and white pepper emerge with purpose. There is a hint of sweetness that feels like summer singing from the glass. The mouthfeel is very much alive with terrific freshness and fine, dusty tannins that coat the entire mouth.

Montalcino's Alessandro Mori makes of some of my favorite wines. He proudly follows a very traditional winemaking philosophy that is only a few steps removed from the olden days when wine presses were powered by donkeys.

He adopts hot and compact fermentation methods and presses early in order to lock in color, aromas, acidity and structure. After destemming, he lets the fruit rest for 24 to 36 hours. The process is delicate enough to leave a good amount of whole berries (which could be a contributing factor to the incredible aromas achieved in his wines). Fermentation kicks off with robust pump-overs that introduce oxygen. This creates what Alessandro Mori calls "a primordial broth" of berries, skins and pulp. He does not do pied de cuve. Ambient yeast withstands high temperatures (from 36 degrees Celsius and sometimes as high as 40 degrees), and skin contact lasts nine to 10 days for the Brunello di Montalcino and 14 or 15 days for the Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie. Cap management is very delicate toward the end, with five minutes of pump-overs in the morning and five minutes at night. This approach fixes the elegant floral aromas of Sangiovese and the phenolic compounds. He presses at two "babo" (a measurement of sugar) or before fermentation is completed and moves the wine into barrel. The unique structure you taste is achieved with hard pressing at 350 atmospheres followed by long barrel aging (lasting up to 41 months) to polymerize or soften the tannins.  Wine Advocate