“Montalcino’s Alessandro Mori makes of some of my favorite wines.” - Wine Advocate

There is something truly magical about the sun-drenched hills of Montalcino.

And Il Marroneto? They produce some of the region’s most spell-binding wines! What manner of arcane incantation did we cast to secure their quadruple 97-point flagship Brunello for 40% off?!

Its CYBER MONDAY magic.

If you aren’t familiar, they among the OGs of the region. Il Marroneto started in 1974, founded by Giuseppe Mori. He and his contemporaries, Diego Molinari and Gianfranco Soldera, arguably put Montalcino on the map with their world-class wines. Since then, Giuseppe’s son, Alessandro, has been an outspoken champion of Montalcino’s traditions, using native fermentations and long cask aging in giant 2.6-tonne neutral casks.

And they produce some of the most collectable wines of the region. Today’s 2019, it’s a stunner, loaded with fruit and savory complexity, drawn taut by super-fine tannins and fresh acidity.

“Alessandro Mori of Il Marroneto has gone from strength to strength from vintage to vintage.” declares Vinous. They highlight, “As for the 2019 Brunello, the most difficult thing will be to keep our hands off of it long enough to give it the time it needs to mature. Very much in Il Marroneto style, this wine is already showing beautifully with vividly ripe fruits and sweet spices, all on a framework of pure elegance,” adding that, “waiting is absolutely recommended.”

We couldn’t agree more! Today, for under $100?! Stock your cellar, and buy plenty. Because once you try it you won’t be able to keep your hands off it!!!

97 Points – Wine Advocate “Montalcino’s Alessandro Mori makes of some of my favorite wines. He proudly follows a very traditional winemaking philosophy that is only a few steps removed from the olden days when wine presses were powered by donkeys. He adopts hot and compact fermentation methods and presses early in order to lock in color, aromas, acidity and structure. After destemming, he lets the fruit rest for 24 to 36 hours. The process is delicate enough to leave a good amount of whole berries (which could be a contributing factor to the incredible aromas achieved in his wines). Fermentation kicks off with robust pump-overs that introduce oxygen. This creates what Alessandro Mori calls “a primordial broth” of berries, skins and pulp. He does not do pied de cuve. Ambient yeast withstands high temperatures (from 36 degrees Celsius and sometimes as high as 40 degrees), and skin contact lasts nine to 10 days for the Brunello di Montalcino and 14 or 15 days for the Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie. Cap management is very delicate toward the end, with five minutes of pump-overs in the morning and five minutes at night. This approach fixes the elegant floral aromas of Sangiovese and the phenolic compounds. He presses at two “babo” (a measurement of sugar) or before fermentation is completed and moves the wine into barrel. The unique structure you taste is achieved with hard pressing at 350 atmospheres followed by long barrel aging (lasting up to 41 months) to polymerize or soften the tannins. Alessandro Mori’s wines are easy to spot in a blind tasting thanks to the soaring intensity and vibrant Sangiovese aromas they display. They are truly one of a kind. A wine that sees a relatively short and hot fermentation, the Il Marroneto 2019 Brunello di Montalcino respects local winemaking tradition and remains true in spirit. The steep verticality of the bouquet evokes almost-carbonic or lifted aromas of bright cherry, strawberry shortcake, lilac and heritage rose. You get straight to the heart of Sangiovese. The tannins are extremely fine and powdery and the freshness of the fruit is beautifully intact. This wine really pops in 2019. Drink 2025 – 2048”

97 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “Il Marroneto was established in 1974 by Alessandro Mori, who today is joined by his son Iacopo as winemaker. Originally from Siena, Alessandro was looking to create a small winery and was encouraged by a priest in Montalcino to take a look at a church property on the northern side of the town, with its exposition overlooking Siena. It was there he found the home for his winery. Today, the Mori family’s approach to the vineyard and the winery remains traditional in that they work by more natural methods of temperature control, they do not implement green harvesting of the vines, and they do not work the soil, looking for nature itself to create its selection. The ground here is 75% sand, the ideal soil for Sangiovese. Today they own eight hectares of vineyard, with their prime holdings just outside the winery, the two hectares that make up Modanna delle Grazie sitting at 440 meters above sea level. All of their vineyards have a northern exposition, which is important for the cold winds in the early evening and through the night. The bright ruby 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is another stunning 2019 on the nose, with bright, intense aromatics of rosewater, redcurrants, wild Mediterranean herbs, macchia, incense, anise, potpourri – it’s so distinctive yet always moving in the glass. Medium-bodied, with beautiful purity, it has ripe, fine tannins, is long on the palate for days, and has a weightless feel. This impeccable wine is phenomenal now, but it’s only going to improve over the coming 15-20 years. Drink 2024 – 2044”

97 Points – Decanter “Iacopo Mori described the 2019 vintage as ‘perfect, no disease…lots of fantastic grapes,’ when he visited Decanter in December 2023. Indeed, 2019 is looking superb across the board. Il Marroneto’s Brunello di Montalcino 2019 has the most incredible scent; an enticing waft of aromatic cherry and fragrant violets. In the mouth it’s supremely precise, with a silky texture and sweet red fruits. Intense, chiselled and sapid, there’s a bewitching pureness and delicacy here. Delicious. Drink 2024 – 2036”

97 Points – Raffaele Vecchione “Elegant and chameleon-like on the nose, notes of geraniums, hibiscus flowers, karkadè, magnolias, gardenias, elderflower, green tea leaves, cinchona, linden, camphor, jasmine, nepitella, cola, pine needles and guarana describe the main and secondary profiles of a captivating, dynamic and modern Brunello. It is graceful and sweet, lovable and vibrant, modern and traditional at the same time in a combination of positive sensations that echo in the glass in pure liquid beauty. Drink now or age.”

95 Points – Vinous “Alessandro Mori of Il Marroneto has gone from strength to strength from vintage to vintage. Not only did 2016 and 2019 reach great heights, but Mori was able to cull magic from the difficult 2017 and 2018 vintages. The 2021 Rosso di Montalcino Ignaccio is a racy and refined wine that provides both immediate satisfaction and balance for the cellar. The 2021 Rosso di Montalcino Selezione Iacopo, a selection made by Mori’s son from his Brunello barrels, is once again a gorgeous interpretation of house style and place. This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, boasting the Rosso name while overdelivering in every way. As for the 2019 Brunello, the most difficult thing will be to keep our hands off of it long enough to give it the time it needs to mature. Very much in Il Marroneto style, this wine is already showing beautifully with vividly ripe fruits and sweet spices, all on a framework of pure elegance. For all of its upfront appeal, waiting is absolutely recommended. The 2019 Madonna delle Grazie remains a wine of meditation, yet with an energy about it that is seldom seen. I’ve tasted this from cask multiple times and bottle in Italy and the United States. The last bottle was left open for two days and only got better. The only thing that surpassed it was the 2016 that I revisited recently, a wine that flirts with perfection. A cascade of bright cherry, rose buds, lavender and cedary spice wafts up from the whimsically perfumed 2019 Brunello di Montalcino. This is surprisingly juicy yet quite complex, with hints of zesty orange and vibrant acidity that add tremendous energy as crisp clove-inflected red fruits drench the senses. It finishes with cheek-puckering tannins, yet they are sweet and round. The 2019 tapers off spicy and fresh, leaving lingering mint, violets and sweet herbal tea notes. Don’t be fooled by its energy and approachability; the 2019 holds a massive amount of power in reserve. This is a spell-binding Brunello from Il Marroneto. Drink 2025 – 2036”