Pieve
di Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino
‘Rennina’
[pyeh-veh sahn-tah rehs-tee-too-tah
b(l)roo nehl-lo dee mon-tahl-chee-no (l)reh-nee-nah]
Gaja wasn’t really looking to transform another area
in Italy the way he had Piemonte. He just wanted to broaden
his scope a bit and enter a realm that didn’t necessarily
require any sort of profound change. Of course, Gaja can’t
help but make his presence known, and his first entry into the
realm of Montalcino fully realized a historic estate’s
intrinsic potential.
As the regular recipient of proposals for
collaborative efforts throughout Italy, Gaja could have nurtured
his desire to go beyond Piemonte virtually anywhere in Italy.
Toscana, of course, held obvious appeal, as it already possessed
the name recognition that Gaja desired. Thus, when Roberto Bellini
proposed a partnership involving the Pieve Santa Restituta estate,
Gaja made his first move outside Piemonte.
When the partnership commenced in 1994, Bellini handled all of the viticultural responsibilities, but
he relinquished them the very next year, leaving Gaja in absolute
control from the 1995 vintage on. Rennina is sourced from three
discrete vineyard sites comprising a portion of the estate bearing
the eponymous designationin documents from the 1500s. As Bellini
had desired, both of the estate’s Brunellos—Rennina
and Sugarille—realized significant qualitative appreciation
under Gaja. Rennina offers an earlier degree of accessibility,
frequently allowing approach at a relatively young stage in
its career. Its signature floral aroma leads into a palate of
cherry fruit, currant, tar, and spice; while often displaying
a rather open-knit sensibility, more structured vintages highlight
its elegance and restraint. In the latter case, it offers a
drinking timeframe of approximately 15 years; in riper vintages,
that window closes just a bit, permitting a ten-year period
of engagement. As Sugarille, its aging regimen
entails one year in barrique followed by one year in barrel.
Prior to release, it is aged in bottle for two years.
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Buy Brunello di Montalcino
‘Rennina’
Wine: Brunello di Montalcino
Producer: Pieve Santa Restituta (Gaja)
Varietal(s): Sangiovese Grosso
Region: Toscana
Commune: Montalcino
Classification: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
First Year: 1995 (Gaja)
Case Production: 2,200 (average)
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