GIANNI BRUNELLI


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Gianni Brunelli was from an old Montalcino family. He dedicated his life to upholding the local traditions of great food, wine and hospitality. He became famous for all of the above at his legendary restaurant Osteria Le Logge in Siena "where customers are treated like friends and friends like gods". In 1988 he re-established his family's grape growing tradition at Le Chiuse de Sotto, a 2 ha vineyard below the hill town of Montalcino. An additional 4.5 ha vineyard named “Podernovone” has since been purchased south of Montalcino. Sadly Gianni Brunelli passed away in 2008, but his wife Laura carries on. She is a great character in her own right, big-hearted, and full of generosity and warmth. It is not surprising that Gianni Brunelli's wines are as supple, outgoing and hedonistic as Brunello can be. Aged in big vats of Slovenian oak, they are elegant wines that have none of the severity that Brunello was once known for. Stylistically they have more in common with classic Burgundy or Barolo, which is to say that they are wines of plush texture and a core of ripe fruit.

Reviews for this winery

Vinous

Laura Brunelli's new Brunellos are superb. Brunelli benefits from having vineyards in both the southern and northern appellations of the region, which gives her an added degree of flexibility in crafting her blends, which is especially an advantage in challenging years. All of the Brunellos are made along classic lines and are aged in cask. Brunelli remains one of the undiscovered jewels in Montalcino.

February 2016

Vinous

While looking at a map of Montalcino might place Le Chiuse di Sotto - Gianni Brunelli winery on the south hill of Montalcino, like many traditional producers, it’s a blend of their southern parcels in Podernovone and their north slope vineyards in Le Chiuse di Sotto that creates the house’s seductive style of darkly elegant yet classic Brunello. In the south, this organic producer works four hectares of vines that average around 500 meters of elevation with soils of calcareous marl and schist, while in the cooler and well-ventilated north, at around 250 meters, we find the original vineyard, planted by Gianni Brunelli in 1989. So while Podernovone brings the darker, rich fruits and body to the blend, Le Chiuse di Sotto adds the bright acidity and aromatics. The winery breaks down each of the vineyards within these locations and vinifies them separately in order to decide on the final blend for both the Brunello and Riserva from vintage to vintage.

Eric Guido, December 2021

British Columbia