100/100 James Suckling

20/20 Matthew Dukes

This sublime single vineyard Brunello is a true 1st Growth of Italy. From a producer that Galloni called “the single most important, yet under-the-radar estate in all of Montalcino". Next to the little church of Madonna delle Grazie lie some of Montalcino's most famous old vines, deeply rooted into one of it's coolest sites — a north-facing slope of free-draining, Jurassic seashore sand that happens to be among the most ancient vineyard soils in all of Italy. Monica Larner describes their legendary single site: “Madonna delle Grazie is to Sangiovese, what the Chapel of St. Christopher on the hill of Hermitage is to Syrah.” This wine needs to be experienced to be believed. Collect!

“The two-hectare Madonna delle Grazie vineyard on the north slope of Montalcino occupies one of the coolest parts of Montalcino, where the vines experience big swings in temperature from day to night. A restrained wine with a sleek, elegant nose of licorice, red cherries, cherry pits, Parma violets and a hint of balsamic. Precise, focused and full-bodied, it shows tension, firm yet ripe tannins, blood orange flavors, a tight yet woven palate and focused acidity. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.” From a special vineyard near the chapel that gives the wine its name, Il Marroneto’s 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie is a wine of beautiful complexity and delicacy, distinguished by an elegant savory note reminiscent of cypress trees on a warm summer day. It shows striking focus and intensity yet remains finely balanced, with a sense of richness carried by a refined, seamless texture. The tannins are softly polymerized thanks to a slow fermentation that emphasizes patience and finesse over extraction, carried out spontaneously with no temperature control. It matures in oak botti for 47 months, a regimen that shapes the wine’s depth and balance. Oh my, what mouthwatering salinity! Drink 2028-2060” 100/100 James Suckling, Aldo Fiordelli

“Take the estate 2021 above, turn up the volume, add trumpeters to sound its arrival, and roll out a red carpet on your tongue. Goodness me, this wine took my breath away. It redefines the notion of a Grand Cru wine. Perhaps we can add Ultra Grand to the vinous lexicon? This is an awe-inspiring wine, and the second ‘perfect score’ I have given to this label, making it unique in the region! It is not necessarily fruitier or riper, but anthemic, fathoms-deep and utterly joyous, and it manages to conjure up so much emotion and elation without any feeling of muscularity or brawn. This is a stunning vineyard translated into the bottle by the most respectful and talented of interlocutors. Every inch a superstar, the balance here is divine, and the future will be even more exciting when it gets its knees under the table.” 20+/20 Matthew Jukes