Talenti Brunello di Montalcino 'Piero' 2021

Decanter
96 punten
Made since the 2015 vintage, Piero hails from the estate’s original 2ha plot where founder Pierluigi established his legacy clonal selection. Facing southeast and reaching over 400m, it is encircled by forest. In 2021, it revs up intensity, depth and definition with respect to the Talenti’s classic Brunello. Captivating woodland scents of cedar and chestnut are at the fore with Mediterranean herbs flirting in the background. The palate is chock-full of wild sumac and myrtle berries – all tangy and mouthpuckering. Grainy, al dente tannins enfold, providing textural drama, then a seductive suggestion of mocha tinges the finish.

Kerin O'Keeffe
96 punten
Aromas of lavender, eucalyptus, red berry and tobacco form the nose. A beautiful wine, the palate delivers ripe wild cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and star anise alongside a backbone of velvety tannins. Fresh acidity and spiced orange peel lift the finish. Balance. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14.5%.

Vinous
95+ punten
The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Piero is wrapped up tight in its youthful state, with a whiff of dusty dried herbs, ashen stone, nuances of spiced orange and camphor. Its silken feel and ripe red and black fruits soothe the palate as a tension-building mix of brisk acidity, saline minerals and fine tannins adds cheek-pinching tension toward the close. This echoes with blue and purple inner florals, structured and intense, as a pleasantly bitter dark chocolate tinge lingers long. It's hard to read today, yet the 2021 possesses the balanced and dense complexity to mature effortlessly.

Falstaff
95 punten
Sparkling ruby, bright right to the rim. Clear and memorable nose, opens with intense notes of crisp cherry, lots of fresh raspberry, some rosemary and coriander seeds. Hearty on the palate, opens with gripping, pithy tannins, very well integrated, lots of tension on the finish, but still somewhat brittle.

James Suckling
94 punten
This shows ripe red berries, citrus peel, licorice and a hint of wet earth on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied with firm, lightly chewy tannins and a backbone of vivid acidity. Tight and structured with a persistent, dusty finish. Try from 2028.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
93 punten
The Talenti 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Piero, recognizable by its white label, is a richly concentrated wine marked by thicker extraction and dense flavors of plum and blackcurrant layered with toasted spice and sweet tobacco. A contemporary, oak-forward aromatic profile gives way to a more streamlined palate that ultimately highlights the inherent firmness and austerity of Montalcino Sangiovese. Produced in just 4,000 bottles plus magnums, the wine is aged in tonneaux and sourced from a two-hectare vineyard of predominantly galestro schistic clay at a breezy 400 meters above sea level.

Jancis Robinson
17.5/20 punten 
Deep, lustrous ruby. A compact, subdued nose hinting at hidden depths. A generous dose of cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate. Doesn’t lack stuffing but with fantastic balance. Long raspberry fruit with clayey tannins but closes up on the finish.