We’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: 2019 is a generationally great vintage in Tuscany. Even basic Chianti and Rossos can overperform in substantial ways, and good producers in top terroirs like Radda and Montalcino produced powerful, yet perfectly balanced masterpieces. Patrizia Cencioni and her daughters, Annalisa and Arianna, aren’t just good producers, they’re great. Their textbook Brunello is a best in class value every vintage, but the 2019 is a bonafide knockout. Soulful and savory–yet still bright, floral, and dare I say pretty–this is that rare breed of Sangiovese that is forward and incredibly pleasurable right now, but has all the stuffing and pedigree to age gracefully for another decade or two. And given its extremely reasonable price, you can (and should) grab enough for some epic grilling this year, and for special meals ten years down the line!
The history of Patrizia’s estate goes back to 1950 when her grandfather, Giuseppe, purchased a sizable swath of land southeast of the town of Montalcino, and became a founding member of the Brunello di Montalcino Consorzio. In the late 1980s Patrizia inherited a portion of that estate, but it did not at the time contain any vineyards, so she planted some and in 1989 the Cantina Patrizia Cencioni was born. Today she is joined by her two daughters, making this a rare Montalcino winery that is owned and operated by a (very talented) team of women.
The property totals about 50 hectares, but only nine are planted to Sangiovese, and another seven are olive groves. The rest is mostly forested hills, small valleys, and a few streams. The soils are mostly the classic mix of crumbly clay and shale marls, with a bit of sand, known in Montalcino as Galestro. The winery sits right in the center of the vineyards, and this allows the hand harvested grapes to be quickly transported to the press, preserving freshness and purity of fruit. The cellar is a combination of modern and traditional–temperature controlled steel tanks are used for fermentation and help ensure clean, terroir transparent aromatics and flavors that are generally free of the “rusticity” (what sommeliers might call flaws) that is common in the region; while aging is carried out in large, neutral oak barrels of French and Slavonian origin.
As it approaches its fifth year of age, the 2019 Cencioni Brunello is already open, accessible, and downright delicious. If you crack a bottle in the next year or so just give it a nice, vigorous decant for about 30 minutes and it will be ready to shine. The fruit is forward and pure, with loads of Morello cherry, red plum, forest berries, and a bit of orange peel that is balanced perfectly by savory notes of tobacco, sagebrush, cocoa powder, and meaty, iron-laden minerality. The tannins are firm but integrated, and the medium-full body is never heavy thanks to a classic jolt of Sangiovese acidity on the finish. The food pairing possibilities are endless: A classic Tuscan steak would be perfect of course, but also mushroom pasta, wild boar stew, braised lamb shanks, and anything that you can top with black truffles. You’ll want to try them all, and you’ll definitely want to watch this beauty evolve and gain extra depth, savor, and complexity. So grab at least a case and you’ll have a nice stash of our best in class value for Brunello di Montalcino.
