Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie, Il Marroneto 2021 75cl
Madonna delle Grazie is Il Marroneto's single-vineyard Brunello, one of the most revered cru bottlings in all of Montalcino. The 2021 comes from a celebrated vintage and belongs firmly in the collector's cellar.
Il Marroneto sits at the northern edge of Montalcino, run by Alessandro Mori in an uncompromising, traditional style. This cuvée comes from the Madonna delle Grazie vineyard beside a medieval chapel, farmed for elegance and aged for years in large Slavonian oak botti that shape without dominating. 2021 was a classic, balanced vintage in Montalcino, widely rated among the finest of recent years.
Being pure Sangiovese in the traditional Marroneto mould, expect a perfumed, ethereal nose of red cherry, dried rose, orange peel and woodland herbs, with a savoury undertow of leather and earth. The palate is medium-bodied yet intensely long, with fine, firm tannins, vivid acidity and a haunting, mineral persistence. This is Brunello built on finesse and transparency rather than sheer power, which is exactly what makes it so prized.
At around £340 this is a serious collector's wine. It can be approached with long decanting now, but it truly rewards a decade or two in the cellar, capable of ageing for thirty years or more from a vintage as complete as 2021.
How to Serve
Serve at 16-18°C in a large Burgundy-style glass. Decant two to three hours ahead when drinking young.
Where to Drink It
Trivet near London Bridge, for a cellar to match. Locanda Locatelli in Marylebone, for fine Italian dining. Enoteca Turi in Chelsea, for a serious Italian list.
Food Pairings
Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or aged pecorino toscano with chestnut honey.
