Le Chiuse - Brunello di Montalcino 2020 (750ml)

Jeb Dunnuck 96 points
"A medium red color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino opens to notes of wild strawberries, fresh, sweet herbs, herbes de Provence, and fresh purple flowers. Medium-bodied (although it expands through the palate), it’s fruity up front, with ripe tannins, and has a complete feel with a savory richness that fleshes out the wine. Drink 2026-2046.One of the first female winemakers in Montalcino, Patrizia Cencioni purchased her family estate in 1989. Today she is joined by her two daughters, Annalisa and Ariana, who handle the export market and the hospitality sector respectively. Offelio is an homage to Patrizia’s uncle, who took the role of her daughters’ Nonno (grandfather) and encouraged Patrizia in the early days of her winery to pave her own path forward. 123, the name of the cru on the other side of the road, is at the highest elevation, with slower maturation than the other sites. Over the past several years, the estate has moved away from small barriques and has been working to produce wines that remain rich but also have elegance and a sense of place."
Vinous 95 points - Eric Guido
"A beguiling bouquet of crushed roses, violets and a flourish of exotic spice leads to dried strawberries and wet stone as the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino blossoms in the glass. This opens on the palate with a pretty inner sweetness, displaying textures of pure silk and an unexpected richness that's perfectly offset by tantalizing acidity. While nearly fleshy in feel, the balance within is otherworldly. The 2020 finishes with a staining of grippy tannins offset by a tinge of sour citrus, leaving the senses salivating for more. This possesses the exuberance of the vintage but also the harmony to mature beautifully over the medium term. I tasted the 2020 from two bottles while in Montalcino earlier this year that did not perform anywhere near as well as this bottle did. Lorenzo Magnelli of Le Chiuse explained that the winery had experimented with different corks on 1,000 bottles and noted that those bottles will not be released to the public. The bottle I tasted for this note was finished with the winery's standard corks."
 Decanter 96 points
"Among the top wines of the vintage, Le Chiuse was picked on 17 September just before a period of unsettled, rainy weather. It evokes its northern origins within Montalcino unequivocally. Discreet yet precise, the nose suggests balsamic herbs, fennel and rose mixed with autumn leaves. Gracefully midweight, it builds with flavours of rosehip tea and sweet earth wrapped in a chalky texture, with cranberry-esque acidity lending tension. That slight austere edge isn’t characteristic of the vintage, but alludes to the estate’s Riserva, which by the way, they didn't produce in 2020."