Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino, Ruffino 2019 75cl

Greppone Mazzi is Ruffino's own estate in Montalcino, and its Brunello comes from that single address rather than bought-in fruit. That's worth knowing in an appellation where the name on the label doesn't always tell you where the grapes grew.

The vineyards climb from 210 to 460 metres, over soils that move from loamy clay to loamy silt with plenty of gravel. The higher, stonier sites keep Sangiovese Grosso (Montalcino's own strain of the grape) fresh and give it its perfume. The wine is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, aged for 36 months between oak and stainless steel. The approach is patient and traditional, and it doesn't lean on new wood.

2019 is one of the great recent Brunello vintages: balanced, with ripe fruit, firm structure and enough acidity to last. Expect cherry, plum and violet first, then eucalyptus, dark chocolate and cracked black pepper as it opens. The tannins are fine-grained and the acidity holds the frame. Sweet tobacco, balsamic notes and plum skin carry the long finish. Wine Spectator and Falstaff both scored it 94.

At just over £60, a top-vintage Brunello with these scores is good value. Six years on, it's just coming into its drinking window, and it will keep improving until at least 2032.

How to Serve

Serve at 18°C. Decant for an hour or two and use a large bowl. The aromatics need room.

Where to Drink It

The River Cafe, which pours Brunello better than almost anywhere in London. Brat in Shoreditch, for wood-fire cooking. The Wolseley, for something more stately.

Food Pairings

Bistecca alla Fiorentina, cooked rare over coals. The tannin meets the char, and the wine's acidity cuts through the fat.