The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino has debuted, earning praise for its balance—delicious and approachable now, yet structured enough to age beautifully for a decade or more.

Each year, the wine consortium for Brunello di Montalcino hosts Benvenuto Brunello, showing the latest vintages of this prestigious wine to critics and wine lovers. The 2024 event took place in Montalcino in November and arrived in New York this February, offering a first look before the wines hit the market.

This year’s releases include the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino, the 2019 Brunello Riserva, and the 2023 Rosso di Montalcino. While the Riserva and Rosso are important in their own right, my focus here is on the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino.

The 2020 Vintage

The 2020 growing season had its challenges. A hot, dry summer raised concerns, but late August rains refreshed the vines and led to deeply colored, healthy grapes. Harvest timing was critical—producers who picked before the late-September rains achieved balance, while those who waited risked diluted berries or overly ripe fruit with high sugar and low acidity.

September offered a mixed bag: warm days and cool nights initially benefited ripening, but heavy rains toward the end of the month tested growers’ decision-making. Harvest timing proved critical—those who picked before the rain produced balanced wines with ripe fruit and fresh acidity, while those who delayed faced challenges with diluted berries or overripe fruit with high sugar levels and low acidity.

Michaela Morris of Decanter notes that Montalcino growers had to adapt throughout the season. Early budding brought minimal frost damage, and a rainy June replenished water reserves while increasing the risk of powdery mildew, particularly in San Polo. The summer heat made canopy management essential. “Harnessing the leaf canopy to shade the grapes and protect them from sunburn was top priority,” says Morris “and is a practice Montalcino growers are now well-versed in.”

Despite the ups and downs, most producers navigated the vintage well, crafting fresh and balanced wines.

How the Wines Are Showing Now

**A word cloud about the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino**

Brunello Forma describes the 2020 wines as having a "sunny profile" with ripe fruit, solid structure, and great drinkability. Brunello Forma is the new evaluation system for Brunello di Montalcino, replacing the one-to-five-star rating. It is based on objective criteria like climate data, chemical sample analysis, and blind tastings by a panel of Masters of Wine.

Wine critic James Suckling praises the 2020 vintage for its brightness and drinkability, stating, "The wines are not jammy or overly alcoholic... most show a freshness and brightness of fruit, making them extremely attractive to drink now while also having enough structure to improve over the next 10 to 12 years—and beyond in some cases."

Filippo Bartolotta of The Drinks Business was also impressed, calling the wines “surprising and delightful, . . . with both immediate appeal and aging potential.” He initially feared the vintage might lack character but found the wines to be “bright, juicy, and balanced, with remarkable freshness despite the heat.” Bartolotta also noted regional differences: wines from Montalcino’s cooler clay soils in the northern slopes are fragrant and elegant, while those from the south express Mediterranean warmth and saline nuances.

Drink Now or Age?

While the 2020 vintage may not be among the longest-lived Brunellos, there’s plenty to love. The wines are bright and succulent with big but not harsh tannins.

Some 2020 Brunellos are more traditional, leaning towards austere, while others are more fruit-forward and plush, often with notes of vanilla from new French oak barrels. Whether to drink now or hold depends on personal preference, with the more fruit-forward style tending to be ready to drink sooner.

Recommendations

Admittedly, my impressions of the newly released 2020s are based on just a few hours of tasting, but within that time, certain patterns emerged. These wines, both the leaner and plusher styles, are drinking beautifully right now—expressive, fresh, and structured without being overpowering. Below are some standout examples that I tasted, grouped by style:

More traditional, less fruit-forward:

Col d’Orcia, Sanlorenzo, Sasso di Sole, La Poderina, Le Ragnaie, Casanovina Montosoli.

Fruitier, more expansive:

Argiano, Banfi Possio alle Mura, Cortonesi Poggiarelli, Camigliano Paesaggio Inatteso, La Magia, Mocali, San Polo Vignavecchia, Silvio Nardi Poggio Doria.

Note: One of Montalcino’s most historic and traditional-style wineries, Biondi-Santi—credited with producing the first Brunello in 1888—ages its wines in bottles for an extra year. They have just released the 2019, considered by many a “perfect vintage.” Read more about this iconic estate and its latest releases here: A New Team, A Timeless Elegance: Biondi-Santi’s Latest Release.