SOUTHERN / AMERICAN / PACIFIC WINE & SPIRITS® Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino – 6045170040991

About the winery:

The story of the Gaja winery can be traced to a singular, founding purpose: to produce original wines with a sense of place which reflect the tradition and culture of those who made it. This philosophy has inspired five generations of impeccable winemaking. It started over 150 years ago when Giovanni Gaja opened a small restaurant in Barbaresco, making wine to complement the food he served. In 1859, he founded the Gaja winery, producing some of the first wine from Piedmont to be bottled and sold outside the region. In 1994, Gaja expanded to new places and acquired its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino.

About the wine:

Deep red. Very clean, opulent aromas, with notes of ripe red fruits evolving into delicate spice and floral perfumes. Powerful and velvety in flavor with a fleshy and sustained finish and refined tannins.

Grape: 100% Sangiovese Grosso.

Vineyards: Santo Pietro, Castagno, Pian dei Cerri.

Fermentation: 4 weeks in stainless-steel vats.

Aging: 12 months in barrique (first-, second-, and third-passage casks), 12 months in botti (large thirty-year-old casks).

Vineyard notes: The designation Rennina (rehn-NEE-nah) first appears in the High Middle Ages and is derived from the late-Roman name of the estate, Fundus Rescianum, denoting a state-owned farm. Since the Gaja family’s acquisition of the historic estate in 1994, three growing sites have been devoted to the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso grapes for the production of Brunello di Montalcino: Santo Pietro (St. Peter), Castagno (Chestnut Tree), and Pian dei Cerri (Turkish Oak Flats). Here, lime-rich subsoils, southwest exposure, and ventilation arriving from the Tyrrhenian sea to the west deliver well-balanced Brunello di Montalcino, defined by its characteristic red fruit notes, minerality, and polished tannin.

95+ Points – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar:
“Bright dark red. Very dark but slightly muted aromas of black fruits, minerals and licorice. Densely packed and deep but not especially sweet, with terrific integrated acidity giving the wine outstanding thrust and a powerful spine. The brooding cherry and cassis flavors are dominated by the wine’s powerful structure today. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins that reach the teeth. More serious than charming.” – Stephen Tanzer (Jul/Aug ’11)

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Rennina is super-impressive. The wine literally dazzles the palate with layers of vibrant red berries, flowers and subtle French oak. In 2006, the Rennina shows gorgeous depth and purity, all in the wine’s signature style of finesse and restraint. A long, beautifully-articulated finish adds the last layers of elegance. This is a fabulous effort from Angelo Gaja and his team. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026.

Angelo Gaja took advantage of the weak 2005 vintage to restructure his offerings from Montalcino. In that vintage Gaja issued one straight Brunello, which consisted of the best fruit from his Rennina and Sugarille vineyards. The goal was to introduce a new label that has now become the entry-level wine from Pieve Santa Restituta. This allows for Gaja to be even more selective with the wines that carry the single vineyard designations. Unfortunately Gaja chose not to present his straight Brunello, but I will report on that wine as soon as I have chance to taste it. In the meantime, readers will want to focus on the Rennina and Sugarille, both of which are superb” – Antonio Galloni (May 2011)

94 Points – James Suckling:
“A full-bodied red, with soft and silky tannins and chocolate, berry and cherry character. Long and beautiful finish. This is balanced. Drink now or hold.” (July 18, 2011)

92 Points –Wine Spectator Magazine:
“Warm, inviting aromas of black cherry, blackberry and toasted spices give way to licorice, tar and mineral flavors. Builds to a nice crescendo on the long aftertaste of spice and mineral. A modern style. Best from 2012 through 2025. 600 cases imported.” – BS (Aug 31, 2011)