Like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino is made in Italy from sangiovese grapes. What’s the difference between the two wines, then? Location: Chianti hails from Tuscany, while Brunello is born in Montalcino, about 60 miles to the south. The weather and the soils are both different here, and the warmer climes around Montalcino give Brunello more of a brooding character than Chianti. And that is generally true, but not universally so.

Recently, the Consorzio del Vino for Brunello di Montalcino brought several dozen (out of hundreds) of producers from this region to San Francisco for a trade and media tasting of Brunellos, Rossos, and Riservas. (2015 is the current vintage for standard Brunellos.)

My full tasting report follows.

Brunello di Montalcino, 2020 Releases

2015 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino – big fruit, hint of smoke and licorice; lingering sweetness on the back end / A-
2015 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli – a single vineyard offering; rich and enduring, with lush cherry, currant, and raspberry notes; endless finish; easily the best wine at the tasting / A+

2015 Barbi Brunello di Montalcino – boldy fruity, rather acidic, light body / B+
2015 Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Fiore – single vineyard; more depth here, with a rounder body and lots of earthiness / B+

2015 Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino – some spice, boldly fruity, fairly straightforward / B+
2018 Belpoggio Rosso di Montalcino – heavy with chocolate, a bit astringent / B-

2015 Carpineto Brunello di Montalcino – thin, a bit green / B-

2015 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino – rich, quite extracted; some licorice and currant here / B
2015 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Filo di Seta – single vineyard; more acidity and fruit, better balance / B+

2015 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino – boldly earthy, chewy; lingering tartness on the finish / B+
2013 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio al Vento – bright and intense, never overblown like many Riserva bottlings; seductive / A
2013 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Nastagio – aged in French oak; adds some suppleness to the experience, and vanilla notes / A-
2015 Col d’Orcia Moscadello di Montalcino Pascena – d’Orcia’s sweet wine, made of 100% moscato; bright peaches and honey, high acid with lots of floral notes / A-

2015 Cortonesi Brunello di Montalcino La Mannella – very juicy, with a strange brown sugar note / B-
2015 Cortonesi Brunello di Montalcino Poggiarelli – lovely texture, blackberry notes; plum, chocolate linger / A

2015 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino – dense and earthy, mysteriously restrained / B+
2018 Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino – surprisingly earthy for a Rosso, heavy / B
2007 Il Poggione Sant’antimo Vin Santo – heavily oxidized, classic Vin Santo, nutty and floral / B+

2015 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino – supple, lovely structure; well-integrated earth and cola notes / A
2015 La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Giobi – single vineyard; rich, an excellent medley of earth, mushroom, and heavy fruit / A
2018 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino – lots of fresh berries, vanilla, quite juicy; a great example of the style / A-

2015 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino – rich, with layers of earth and a solid structure / A-
2015 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino Ciliegio – some balsamic and licorice notes, lots of dark chocolate / A-
2018 La Magia Rosso di Montalcino – extremely fruity, fresh cola, milk chocolate; rather sweet / B-

2015 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino – crisp, pushy berry notes; lightly herbal with supple earth / A-
2010 Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino Diecianni Riserva – blackberry and blueberry notes heavy, with well-integrated earth notes; delightfully balanced / A

2015 Pian delle Querci Brunello di Montalcino – cherry, cola, tea leaf notes; very bright / A
2013 Pian delle Querci Brunello di Montalcino Riserva – quite earthy, well structured / A

2015 Tenuta Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino – light body, rather quiet / B
2015 Tenuta Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Vigneto Manachiara – single vineyard; densely earthy but balanced; brambly / A-
2015 Tenuta Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Doria – single vineyard; lighter in body and closer to the standard Brunello, with a bit of a lift / B+

2015 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino – cherry notes; layered mushroom; on target / A-
2015 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Lago – single vineyard; bolder body, more unctuous; big cherry / A
2015 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Spuntali – single vineyard; intensely fruity, tea note; long finish / A
2015 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Granchio – another single vineyard; quite tart, a bit of balsamic; needs time / A-
2018 Val di Suga Rosso di Montalcino – fresh, bright, boldly fruity / A-

2015 Voliero Brunello di Montalcino – nicely structured, heavy focus on cherries / A-
2018 Voliero Rosso di Montalcino – chocolate and toasted marshmallow notes, very sweet; a bit off style / B