La Serena Brunello di Montalcino 2019

This gem comes from the La Serena Estate and the Mantengoli family. What started as a modest one-hectare farm has grown into nine hectares with about six under vine, dedicated exclusively to growing Sangiovese for their Brunello and Rossi di Montalcinos.

They farm organically, and have done so long before there was a certification for it. Surrounded by Casanova di Neri and Biondi Santi’s Il Greppo estate, this gorgeous little estate at just over 400 meters above sea level is proving that you don’t need their neighbors’ budgets to make stellar wines. The wines have structure and depth, but also more approachability in their youth than their neighbors due to the unique combo of clay, sand, and marl.

The 2019 La Serena Brunello di Montalcino is pure class. It’s truly the sleeper in what is being heralded as a “exceptional, reference point vintage” in Montalcino. It got the attention of Italian expert James Suckling, who went all in for the wine in his 97-point review. He and I saw this one the same — this is going to outpoint and outshine a lot of its competitors this year for sure.