Banfi Brunello Di Montalcino 'Vigna Marrucheto' 2020

This structured and 'vibrant' red wine originates from Italy, within the world-renowned Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G. appellation of Tuscany. Castello Banfi established in 1978 by the Italian-American Mariani brothers is a historic benchmark estate that completely revolutionized the modern winemaking landscape of Montalcino through its pioneering, decades-long scientific clonal research on the Sangiovese grape. The "Vigna Marrucheto" single-vineyard bottling represents the estate's forward-looking philosophy, sourced from three unique, low-fertility parcels totaling 10 hectares planted in 2009. The vines are rooted in a complex soil structure of marine clay, silt, and calcareous stones, where the southern Tuscan sun interacts with refreshing maritime breezes to focus exceptional structural clarity and inner energy within the fruit.

Wine Description

The 2020 Banfi 'Vigna Marrucheto' Brunello di Montalcino presents an intense, deep ruby red color in the glass with brilliant garnet reflections. Its sensory profile is exceptionally elegant, expressive, and high-toned, opening with a complex bouquet of sour cherries, ripe red plums, and blackcurrants, beautifully layered with distinct balsam notes, medicinal herbs, sweet tobacco, and crushed red roses. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, compact, and remarkably taut, showcasing a rich and flavorful core of wild strawberries, sour dark cherries, and dark cacao. It is characterized by its outstanding inner energy and a vibrant backbone of mineral acidity that perfectly balances its natural power. The mouthfeel is tightly woven yet sleek, driven by firm, silky, and powdery tannins that carry into an expansive, long, and dry finish detailed by lingering notes of licorice, blood orange pith, and savory wood spice.

This 100% Sangiovese (specifically the premium Sangiovese Grosso biotype) reached an alcohol content (ABV) of 15.0%. The grapes were fermented at controlled temperatures (25-30°C) inside Banfi’s hybrid Horizon tanks—custom-built combining stainless steel and French oak panels to allow for soft, micro-oxygenated extraction. To round out the bold structural matrix without over-extracting oak flavors, the wine was aged for 30 months primarily in large French oak casks (60 and 90 hl) alongside a minor portion in 350-litre French oak barriques, followed by an additional period of extensive bottle refinement before commercial release. Reflecting the estate's contemporary values, the property is managed under precise sustainable viticultural standards.