The 2015 Brunello craze continues.

It’s our 8th one to be exact, and it hasn’t even been a year since they started to arrive stateside. The equally exotic 2016s are just around the corner (in which Pietroso scored 98+ points!), but we’re riding this train until the wheels fall off. After all, how can you resist a 94-pointer Jeb Dunnuck called “pure class” from one of the best vintages EVER? Especially at nearly half off.

Remember, this is a vintage called “picture-perfect” by Wine Advocate reporting “I remember the 2015 vintage in Tuscany through a photographer’s lens. Each snapshot I carry in my memory recalls the sheer perfection… Ask anyone who farmed Sangiovese that year. They will tell you: Fruit has never been more beautiful than it was in the picture-perfect 2015 vintage.”

And now, let’s explore this hidden gem!

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous points out that “The estate was bought by Domenico Berni, nicknamed Belfo, in the 1970s (he was the fattore or main farmhand of Villa a Tolli, Poggio Salvi and others) with the objective to make wine for home use. He started out with 0.5 hectares but as everyone told him his wine was too good to be limited to family consumption, he began selling some with the 1978 vintage.”

Fast forward a bit: “Since 2010 they have been farming a small plot of vines at the top of the Montosoli hill that has been replanted to Sangiovese. The estate’s goal is to make a single vineyard or a Brunello selection from this very prestigious site, apparently blessed with a slightly warmer microclimate than the estate’s other sites… Pietroso’s wines have improved immeasurably over the last decade.”

Serious Brunello drinkers know the style typically falls into one of two camps - modern or traditional. And this, to us, is the ultimate bridge between the two. Thanks to the upfront personality of the extraordinary year, it’s quite opulent and flashy, with a nice ripeness. Still, it offers extraordinary complexity, with a savory side and sneaky tannins, reminding us of classics like Biondi Santi with its exotic perfume of black cherries dusted with cocoa powder. The liveliness and traction lead to a glorious finish that continually unfolds with a potpourri of floral and spicy nuances. Approachable at this youthful stage, it will sing with the wildest of foodstuffs, be it mushrooms or game or cheeses and charcuterie.

But you know what’s even wilder? 44% off on a 94 pointer. Once at $85 and today at $48.

Fair warning though - cherrypicked boutique Brunello from 2015 does not last long around here…

94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck

“Terrific notes of black cherries, currants, chocolate, and tobacco leaf nuances all emerge from the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino. This is pure class, offering medium to full-bodied richness, a focused, elegant texture, polished tannins, and a great finish. This classic, balanced beauty will evolve for 15-20 years. Drink 2020-2040.”

92 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is a nicely balanced Sangiovese that provides equal parts dark fruit and savory spice. That sense of pretty balance continues to the palate where the wine shows freshness and integrated tannins. The mouthfeel and textural richness of the wine is enhanced by the sunny conditions of the vintage and the balanced ripeness of the fruit on display here. Here’s a good excuse for a roasted game hen with crunchy potatoes. Drink 2021-2030.”

92 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Bright dark red-ruby. Expressive aromas of blueberry, nutmeg, flowers and herbs, with an undertone of graphite; I find this to be a much darker nose than usual, at least compared to the last few vintages. Then bright and subtle, with stone fruit and spice flavors framed by harmonious acidity. Not a blockbuster and little too dark fruited and herbal in its aromatic and flavor profiles, for my ideal of Sangiovese, but elegant, with a suave, classically dry finish. Drink 2023-2030.”