Pieve Santa Restituta Rennina Brunello di Montalcino 2020

While released as a site specific bottling, it’s not a single vineyard wine. It’s is in fact a blend of three non-adjacent vineyards that surround the winery consisting of San Pietro, Pian Dei Cerri and Castagno Vecchio. The vineyard expositions vary from North West (Pain Dei Cerri) and the South facing sites of Santa Pietro & Castagno Vecchio. This is a key difference to their other single vineyard bottling of Sugarille which is almost entirely South facing.

First produced in 1994 from a total 10 hectares however, the majority of the vines were re-planted in 1997 and a smaller part more recently in 2005. In terms of soil types in comparison to Sugarille these 3 distinct vineyards that make up Rennina have a blend of higher clay content and richer in stones. A ‘fresher soil’ as Gaja describe vs the very poor/free draining soils of Sugarille.

A little more fruit forward than the Sugarille, the family describe it as their parallel to Barbaresco, with Sugarille being the ‘Barolo’.

The name Rennina pays homage and reference to the history of the estate and is a blend of Latin and Etruscan words and indicates parish or church owned land. The wine is not produced every year and if not released as Rennina, will go into the Brunello di Montalcino.

They only keep the ‘flower’ of the ferment for their wines, just the juice that is drained off post fermentation. The major difference in winemaking here from the estate/blended Brunello is after ferment the wine goes straight into larger format 3000 ltr old oak for 24 months (no smaller barrels) then in another 6 months in concrete before bottling.

“2020 shares similarities with 2015 and 2016, being generally warm but without extreme temperatures. The production yield is 15% lower than usual. The wines have a notable structure and concentration, with elegant, sweet tannins” – Gaja family on 2020 vintage

“Aromas of dark fruit, mushrooms and rich earth follow through to a full body with creamy, round tannins that are long and beautiful. Deep fruit and a polished, velvety texture. Excellent depth and intensity to this. Drink after 2027.” – 96 pts – James Suckling