Gianni Brunelli–Le Chiuse di Sotto is an estate winery in the Montalcino region, Tuscany, Italy. It produces Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC, Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG red wines.

Owner: Laura Vacca.

Background: ‘In 1987 Gianni Brunelli, after creating the restaurant Osteria Le Logge in Siena, returned to Montalcino and succeeded to fulfil the dream of his family, buying the estate “Le Chiuse di Sotto”, where his father Dino used to work. Until today, in his memory, a part of the vineyards planted by his father in 1947 are still in production. The estate is composed by 5 vineyards of a total of 6.5 hectares. 2 hectares are situated on the north side of Montalcino (Vigna Le Chiuse di Sotto) and 4.5 hectares on its south-eastern side, at the location Podernovone (Vigne Olmo at 500masl in Montalcino’s southeast on stony soil, ripens early), , Oliva, Quercia and Gelso). The very different microclimates of the two areas offer different characteristics on the wines enriching their complexity. In 2015 Laura Brunelli inaugurated the new winery in Podernovone, designed to be simple and practical, with low energy and environmental impact, in order to reduce the carbon footprint to a minimum (Source: Brunello Consorzio)

Vineyards: 5.5ha in two spots. 1) 4.5ha of vines in Località Podernovone which is just south of Montalcino town centre, by the winery overlooking Monte Amiata. 350 metres. Sangiovese mainly. Some Merlot too. 2) Località Le Chiuse di Sotto, north of Montalcino town centre facing north-east to add freshness.

Red wines

IGT Rosso Amor Costante: 80% Merlot, 20% Sangiovese

Rosso di Montalcino DOC: 2011 13,000 bottles. Nice bright deepish colour, plump, classic and soft, primary enough for the US (their main) market (Anteprima 2013). Medium crimson; weighty nose, ripe, quite deep, darkish plums/cherries, warm; broad-brush fruit/tannin on the mid-palate, weighty, ripe, dry grape-skin sensation from the licorice edge to the fruit, showing a degree of evolution so I’d probably drink this now as the fruit may (I won’t say it will) dry out (At the consorzio with Ian d’Agata Tuesday 28th May 2013:). | 2011 Sweet fruit, good again (Anteprima 2014). | 2012 6,500 bottles. Nice, rich middle, well made (Anteprima 2014). | 2013 6,500 bottles. Sweet, plump all in the middle, savoury, maybe a bit simple but has nice weight for a Rosso without being heavy (Anteprima 2015). | 2014 Gravity. No stems. Steel. 6m in botte. Very distinctive in terms of mouthfeel (Anteprima 2016). | 2018 11,736 bottles (Anteprima).

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: 2002 Delicious fruit, clear style (Anteprima 2005. | 2003 Soft, ripe fruit (Anteprima 2005). | 2008 13,000 bottles. Nice cedar, bright, decent weight and depth (Anteprima 2013). | 2009 10,000 bottles. Decent weight, classic style (Anteprima 2014). | 2010 18,000 bottles. Very nice line, maybe a bit dry at the end but balanced, savoury, no sourness, good (Anteprima 2015). | 2011 Plump, some blur and heat, but exotic too, plenty of fruit, structure and good tannin (Anteprima 2016). | 2015 16,846 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva: 2009 2,300 bottles. Bright cherry colour and flavour, nice weight, bit anonymous maybe but very appealing and representative (Anteprima 2015).

Contact

Gianni Brunelli–Le Chiuse di Sotto

Vineyard: Loc. Le Chiuse di Sotto 320, I-53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.849342

Winery & vineyard: Loc. Podernovone 15

53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy.

Tel+39 0577.849337 Website: www.giannibrunelli.it