This 100% Sangiovese is made by Roberto Bellini and Patrizia Mazzi.  They had originally owned a lot of land in Montalcino (the larger Pieve di Santa Restituta estate) and then sold all of it except for 9 ha to Angelo Gaja in 2010.

The 9 ha they kept for their own production hosts the superior Podere Brizio site and produces this Riserva (as well as a Brunello and a Rosso).

A medium garnet tone with deep legs, this wine has a seriously intense bouquet of dried dark fruit, anise, cinnamon, herbs and raw vanilla bean.

Dry with medium plus acidity, ripe tannins with grip and medium plus alcohol, there’s a sherry-like quality to this wine.  The flavours are elegant, but at the same time intensely masculine – black cherries, overripe strawberry, dried blackberry fruit leather and plum, saddle, clove spice, licorice fern and careful oak.

The finish is lengthy on this WSET Very Good + wine.  Drink now or rest for a good 10 years more until 2025.

93 Points – Antonio Galloni – “brilliantly nuanced”
95 Points – Wine Enthusiast
90 Points – Wine Spectator
92 Points – Wine Advocate