Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2020

The classic Brunello from Montalcino's most celebrated estate — and the 2020 is its most generous vintage in years.

Banfi's Brunello di Montalcino is the wine that introduced this great appellation to the world. Crafted from Sangiovese Grosso — known locally as Brunello — grown on the estate's hillside vineyards in Montalcino, this is a wine of intensity, elegance, and remarkable aging potential. The 2020 vintage was shaped by consistent heat and dryness across the growing season, producing grapes of exceptional ripeness and a wine of characteristic openness and charm — approachable earlier than many Brunellos, yet built with the structure to age gracefully through 2040 and beyond.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant ruby red with delicate garnet reflections toward the rim. On the nose, the 2020 is highly aromatic and expressive — bright cherry, wild strawberry, and blackcurrant are lifted by violets, sweet rose, and lavender, with deeper undertones of sweet spice, graphite, and licorice that add complexity without weight. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied with a texture critics have described as almost weightless — silky, velvety tannins backed by a firm muscular core that gives the wine its textbook Brunello structure. Wild cherry, spiced orange zest, pink peppercorn, and grilled herbs weave through the mid-palate with a succulence that sets the 2020 apart from more austere expressions of the appellation.

The Finish

Long, warm, and persistent — lingering echoes of licorice, dark berry, and a cleansing acidity that promises beautiful development. Approachable now after an hour in a decanter, and structured to reward patience through 2040.

What the Critics Say

• Kerin O'Keefe: 94 points — "Showing elegance and structure... polished, fine-grained tannins."
• James Suckling: 93 points — "Youthful profile here with almost vinous character... a lot of freshness."
• Wine Advocate: 93 points — "Opens to a velvety character... open-knit and accessible."
• Wine Spectator: 92 points — "Vibrant and focused, with a long aftertaste embedded in its muscular tannins."