Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino 2017

Tuscany, Italy

Wine Advocate 95 points! Decanter 94! Vinous 94! Wine Enthusiast 97 points!

Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino is a beautiful red wine gem from the acclaimed 2017 Brunello vintage. Considered the king of Tuscan wines and one of the most renowned and long-lived red wines of Italy, Brunello is produced from a specific strain of Sangiovese (Sangiovese Grosso) grown in the unique microclimate surrounding the Tuscan town of Montalcino. "Le Potazzine" (meaning "chickadee" in the local dialect) is the nickname given by the mother of Gigliola Gorelli (who owns the estate together with her oenologist husband Giuseppe) to her two granddaughters, Viola and Sofia. The estate was established in 1993, the year when Viola was born. The vineyards extend for 5 hectares. Sustainable agricultural practices are pursued. The vineyards are worked entirely by hand, the harvest is manual.

"The ladies of Le Potazzine make a terrific bottle of Brunello, and their high-elevation vineyards are especially important in maintaining freshness in a scorching-hot vintage such as this. The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino offers a pretty succession of wild berry, cherry and plum aromas, along with light spice, crushed flowers and perfumed potting soil. This wine is also distinguished by a touch of bay leaf and maybe a warmer note of cured tobacco as well. This is an impressive effort (with 16,000 bottles released). Drink 2024-2040.”—Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 95 points!

“I always find the wines a bit wild at first before an intense purity comes through. The 2017 reveals balsamic notes of sun-dried thyme and herb flowers before floral accents take over. It's a relatively powerful expression for Le Potazzine but ultimately expresses the property’s signature elegance. Grainy, sandy tannins wrap around ripe strawberry fruit, leading to a lingering finish of potpourri and orange.”—Wine Enthusiast 97 points!

Enjoy Le Potazzine Brunello di Montalcino with osso buco, lasagna, eggplant Parmesan, and aged cheeses.