Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino 2018

97 points Kerin O'Keefe: "This fragrant, gorgeous red opens with enticing scents of rose hips, new leather and forest berries. Showing the house style of extreme elegance and vibrancy, the focused, racy palate features juicy red cherries, white pepper and dark spices encased in taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Absolutely fantastic. Drink 2026–2043. 14% abv. (Nov 2022)"

96 points Luca Gardini: "All the richness of Il Marroneto’s raw materials in this flawless version of Brunello. Blueberry jam to the nose, then touches of cinnamon, carob and marjoram. Sapid-spicy tannins to the palate and fruity return on the closure. (Oct 2022)"

96 points Susan Hulme (The Wine Independent): "This 2018 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino has lifted, bright, floral aromas of crushed roses and balsamic notes. It is much more fragrant than the 2017 for example. The nose is hedonistic and intoxicating with lifted, red cherry, fragrant rose and spice. The palate has lots of vivid acidity on the finish with a with a vibrant, juicy mid palate. There is not huge weight in the middle but plenty of tannins and acidity giving it a fine backbone and there is such a beautiful range of aromas and flavors. Alcohol 14.5%. Drink: 2024-2037. (2/23/23)"

95 points Monica Larner (Wine Advocate): "[$110 list] Alessandro Mori's Il Marroneto 2018 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a spicy bouquet with hints of cumin and white pepper that fold seamlessly into bright cherry, blueberry and cassis. The trick to this wine is balance, as no one side pulls stronger than the other. More importantly, this Brunello still has life and vibrant energy despite 39 months of aging in oak casks. Precisely because this bottle tastes so good now, I see little reason to wait further. This 21,470-bottle release is a delight. (3/9/23)"

95 points Ian D'Agata (Vinous): "There’s a radiance to the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino that makes it a total pleasure to taste today, as sweet exotic spices come together with dried black cherries, dusty flowers and hints of clove. This is pure pleasure on the palate, displaying both an opulence of fruit, yet also total poise and refinement, as sour berries find an energizing lift from juicy acidity. The 2018 doesn’t miss a beat, tapering off with rounded tannins while lingering on the palate for well up to a minute with an energizing burst of citrus, nuances of sweet rose and licorice. This is already so pretty today, yet it also possesses the balanced structure to mature beautifully, which isn’t found in many Brunello of this vintage. What a darling. Drink: 2024-2031. (Dec 2022)"

95 points Michaela Morris (Decanter): "Il Marroneto’s 2018 Brunello personifies elegance, ease and prettiness without being banal or superficial. Harvested from 5 October, there's sweetness to the red berry core that provides a backdrop for cinnamon stick, sarsaparilla and violet accents to parade. Ripe tannins are fine-grained and enveloping as this reaches accessible depths, and appetising acidity begs another sip – but not before the leisurely finish unfolds with spice and raspberry. A seamless symphony that echoes Alessandro Mori’s unhurried, unforced approach to winemaking. As tempting as this is now, a bit more patience will be rewarded. Drinking Window: 2024-2032. (11/10/22)"

94 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a deep and youthful ruby hue. It is highly expressive with medicinal herbs, sour black cherry, leather, clove, and burnt orange. Medium to full-bodied, with tangy acidity and ripe yet angular tannins, it has a complex profile, with currant, dried flowers, and dusty saline earth. It is wound up and needs time, but this will be a wine to enjoy over the coming 20 years.This was my first time visiting the Il Marroneto estate, and everything I tasted there was from barrels, led by winemaker Alessandro Mori’s son, Iacopo, while the 2018s were tasted from bottle back home in New York. The winery was established in 1974, when Alessandro’s father, who was originally from Siena, was looking to create a small winery. He was encouraged by a priest in Montalcino to take a look at a church property on the northern side of the town, with its exposition overlooking Siena, and found the home for his winery. Today, the Mori family’s approach to the vineyard and the winery remains traditional in that they work by more natural methods of temperature control, they do not implement green harvesting of the vines, and they do not work the soil, looking for nature itself to create its selection. The ground here is 75% sand, the ideal soil for Sangiovese. Today they own eight hectares of vineyard, with their prime holdings just outside the winery, the two hectares that make up Modanna delle Grazie, at 440 meters above sea level. All of their vineyards have a northern exposition, which is important for the cold winds in the early evening and through the night. Drink: 2025-2043. (3/6/23)"