Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie 2020 1.5L

99 points James Suckling: "An exquisite mix of elegant aromas dominates the nose, with notes of Parma violets, orange peel, Earl Grey tea, dried cherries, smoky woodland and earthy minerality. Full-bodied, it shows significant tannins, but it’s velvety, sweet and full of aging potential. The flavors are enhanced by energetic, slightly lifted acidity and a super-long, austere finish. It will last for decades. Try after 2025. (Nov 2024)"

98 points Monica Larner (Wine Advocate): "[$425 list] The Il Marroneto 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie (tasted once in the winery and again in my office) is another classical expression of Sangiovese from vintner Alessandro Mori and his son Iacopo. This vintage is best described as more charming compared to the stacked 2019 vintage or the powerful 2016 edition. This is a very pretty wine, elegant and finessed, with pretty floral highlights of rose and violet that lean into a subtle menthol note. There is caramelized sugar and candied orange. The wine lives in oak for 46 months with just a brief time in steel before going into bottle (at the end of July 2024). This vintage is a little closed or tight in terms of mouthfeel, which suggests it needs more time in bottle to spread its wings. Drink: 2027-2055. (11/21/24)"

98 points Eric Guido (Vinous): "The undeniably elegant 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie is amazingly fresh and vibrant on the nose, cascading from the glass with a burst of crushed cherries, rose petals, blood oranges and cloves. This displays exceptional elegance and grace, soothing the palate with its silken feel and ripe red and blue fruits. Hints of sour citrus add contrast, a mix of iron-borne minerals and fine tannins that mount toward the close. A saturation of primary concentration remains, offset by residual acidity as this finishes structured and impossibly long, leaving a sour cherry tinge and masses of violet pastille. The 2020 is a showboat yet complex and harmonious from start to finish. It's easily one of the absolute top wines of the vintage. Drink: 2028-2042. (Nov 2024)"

98 points Falstaff Guide: "Bright ruby red, elegant. On the nose, candle wax, precious wood, some mint, ripe cherry fruit, smoke and, after a little time, also peach. Elegant entrance and progression on the palate. With beautiful juiciness and elegance, it comes in several layers, with fine earthy-salty tones. Long, vibrant. (Feb 2025)"

95-98 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The first of three vineyard selections, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie is long and expansive through the palate. It offers ample structure and energy through an exquisitely concentrated and long finish. At this stage, there is notable reduction, and the wine is still working nearly three years later. (3/6/23)"

97 points Michaela Morris (Decanter): "This soars out of the glass with heady scents of violet, rose and lilac, eventually joined by flecks of pepper, potting soil and roasted chestnuts, yet the palate is almost stubbornly closed as the tannins clutch assertively to a brooding core of dark cherry. Acidity is just as concentrated as the fruit, and next to the estate’s classic Brunello, the single-vineyard Madonna delle Grazie bottling demonstrates more density and volume, and it will need even longer in the cellar. Next year, Il Marroneto will come out with a 2020 Riserva, only the estate’s second ever (2013 being the first). Based on the performance of these two wines, the decision seems highly justified. Drinking Window: 2028-2040. (11/13/24)"

97 points Raffaele Vecchione (WinesCritic.com): "Deep, gently violent but composed and alive, it shows notes of black cherries, wild violet, juniper berries, sandalwood, incense and cumin. Many wild strawberries and wet red flowers describe the secondary scene, building the main framework on which the complex and solid Madonna delle Grazie wine of the 2020 vintage is built. Rich and biting in the sip, it shows solid power but perfectly balanced and controlled and a final of great grace and personality. One of the best expressions produced in Montalcino. (Oct 2024)"