BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO VINTAGE GUIDE
Most recent vintage first. Click a year to see what we have in stock.
2021 - Released in 2026 to a five-star rating from the Consorzio, and deservedly: a cool spring, a dry, warm summer and a long, bright September produced Brunello of classic structure — deep, fragrant, firmly tannic, built on acidity. The best wines sit alongside 2016 and 2010 as the vintages of the past decade to cellar. Buy now; drink from 2030.
2020 - A warm, dry season produced generous, fruit-forward Brunellos with softer structure and dark-fruit tones. Plush and immediate rather than built for the long haul; the best are charming and consistent, ideal for drinking over the next ten years while the 2019s and 2021s wait.
2019 - Consistent weather — warm days, cool nights, well-timed rain — made pure, fruit-filled Brunellos that combine elegance and power. The top wines rival the best 2016s and will reward a decade of patience; the rest are delicious already.
2018 - A rainy spring and July storms swelled the berries; a cool, dry September saved the harvest and gave aromatic, elegant, fresh wines that are lighter than the vintages around them. Enjoyable now and over the near term from the better estates.
2017 - A hot, dry summer with low yields produced ripe, concentrated wines that are balanced and fresh from the best producers, dried-out from the rest. Selective buying; the good ones drink well now and for several years.
2016 - A great vintage: a textbook season of warm days, cool nights and a dry harvest gave wines of remarkable completeness — perfumed, structured, perfectly proportioned, with the stuffing for twenty years. One of the finest Brunello vintages ever released.
2015 - A warm, generous year produced ripe, full-bodied, immediately appealing Brunellos with soft tannins. Lovely now and for the next decade; richer than the classic 2016 that followed.
2014 - A cold, wet summer; several top estates, Biondi-Santi among them, made no Brunello at all. The wines that were released are light and fragrant at best, thin at worst. Drink up any you have.
2013 - A cool, classic season with a long ripening gave aromatic, bright, firmly structured Brunellos of real finesse. Slow to come round and now entering a beautiful phase, with years ahead.
2012 - A hot, dry summer tempered by a cooler September produced ripe, powerful wines with firm tannins and good concentration. Structured and still developing; drink from now into the 2030s.
2011 - A warm year with an August heat spike produced ripe, generous, rounded Brunellos that drank well early. Pleasant and mature now; not for long keeping.
2010 - The great modern vintage. A cool, long, even season gave Brunellos of extraordinary balance: deep fruit, fine tannin, vibrant acidity and the structure to age for thirty years. Benchmark wines from top to bottom of the zone. Hold.
2009 - A warm, early vintage of soft, ripe, fruit-driven wines that matured quickly. Pleasant and fully mature; drink.
2008 - A cool, classic season with a dry autumn produced elegant, aromatic, well-structured wines that were overlooked between 2007 and 2010. Showing very well now.
2007 - A warm, dry year gave ripe, opulent, generous Brunellos with plush tannins and immediate appeal. Fully mature and delicious; drink over the next few years.
2006 - A powerful, classic vintage — structured, tannic and deep, from a warm summer and a cool, long finish. The best wines took a decade to open and are now superb, with years left.
2005 - A rainy harvest produced medium-bodied, fragrant, early-maturing wines that were underrated on release. Elegant and fully mature now; a quiet pleasure.
2004 - A long, even season produced classic Brunello of great purity, balance and perfume. One of the best vintages of the decade, drinking beautifully now and still holding.
2003 - The heatwave year: ripe, low-acid, often dried wines, with exceptions from the cooler northern slopes and from producers who picked early. Drink up.
2002 - A cold, wet summer and hail; Biondi-Santi and others made no Brunello. The few released wines are light and dilute. Avoid.
2001 - An excellent, classic vintage from a textbook season — structured, aromatic, deep, with the balance to age. The wines are at a beautiful point now and will continue for years.
2000 - A hot, dry summer produced ripe, soft, forward wines that matured early. Most are now at or past their peak; drink any remaining bottles.
1999 - Generous, tannic, and fruity wines with velvety texture.
1998 - Perfumed, harmonious, and delicious wines.
1997 - + Extremely aromatic; structured and racy wines.
1996 - Fruity and aromatic, but slightly diluted.
1995 - + Structured and firm, yet fruity; very good indeed.
1994 - A good vintage with approachable wines.
1993 - A solid vintage with structured and balanced wines.
1992 - A weaker vintage due to challenging weather conditions.
1991 - Another outstanding vintage with exceptional quality wines.
1990 - A legendary vintage with rich and complex wines, excellent aging potential.
1989 - A weaker vintage with less structured wines.
1988 - A remarkable vintage with excellent balance and complexity.
1987 - A moderate vintage with balanced wines.
1986 - An average vintage producing decent wines.
1985 - An iconic vintage with exceptional wines.
1984 - A poor vintage with few notable wines.
1983 - A strong vintage with well-structured wines.
1982 - A balanced vintage with good longevity.
1981 - An average vintage with approachable wines.
1980 - A strong vintage with elegant wines.
1979 - A solid vintage with good balance and structure.
1978 - A balanced vintage producing elegant wines.
1977 - A strong vintage with balanced and aromatic wines.
1976 - A very poor vintage, with little to note.
1975 - A legendary vintage producing complex and long-lived wines.
1974 - A lighter vintage with less structure.
1973 - A solid vintage with balanced wines.
1972 - A very poor vintage, with limited quality wines.
1971 - An average vintage with approachable wines.
1970 - A remarkable vintage with great balance and longevity.
1969 - A weaker vintage with less complexity.
1968 - A decent vintage with moderate structure.
1967 - A balanced vintage with fine wines.
1966 - A strong vintage producing elegant wines.
1965 - A solid vintage with good balance.
1964 - An extraordinary vintage, still vibrant and lively.
1963 - An average vintage with decent wines.
1962 - A solid vintage with balanced wines.
1961 - An outstanding vintage with legendary wines.
1960 - An average vintage with moderate quality.
1959 - A decent vintage with balanced wines.
1958 - Balanced and aromatic wines with elegance.
1957 - A strong and elegant vintage.
1956 - A weaker vintage with light wines.
1955 - The “vintage of the century” according to Franco Biondi Santi. Iconic wines with longevity.
1954 - A lighter vintage, with less structure.
1953 - A solid vintage with good balance.
1952 - An average vintage with decent quality.
1951 - A strong and velvety vintage.
1950 - A decent vintage with some structured wines.
1949 - An average vintage, producing balanced but unremarkable wines.
1948 - A weaker vintage with less notable wines.
1947 - A warmer vintage producing rich and ripe wines.
1946 - A strong vintage, with promising wines.
1945 - An extraordinary post-war vintage with legendary status.