Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello 2013

Armit Wines is delighted to announce the latest release of 2013 Brunellos from Pieve Santa Restituta. After acquiring the ancient Pieve estate in 1994, the incomparable Gaja family has left its indelible mark on the Tuscan landscape, creating Brunellos of the highest quality and with the utmost passion; the exquisite 2013s continue this tradition. After deciding not to release the single vineyard wines in 2012 (instead blending grapes from these sites into the straight Brunello), 2013 sees the return of Rennina and Sugarille, and we are pleased to present the full trio once again.

As always, the high standards and strict attention to detail that Gaja is famous for have led them to create Brunellos with stunning purity of fruit, intense concentration and deep complexity. The 2013 Brunello is a perfect introduction to the style and craftsmanship of the estate, beautifully balanced and full of fresh red fruit. The single vineyard wines, Rennina and Sugarille, offer an interesting contrast in styles; Rennina is often described as the more feminine of the two and possesses a graceful structure set against wonderfully rich fruit. Sugarille is full of coiled energy, with chewy tannins and a capacity for a long slumber in the cellar.

These three Brunellos from one of the finest names in Italian wine are impeccably crafted and full of character, finesse and ageability. They perfectly embody the elegance of the 2013 vintage and are absolute must haves for the cellar.

Vintage Report

The 2013 vintage gives excellent, refined Brunello that was very high quality across the region. The resulting wines are cool, elegant and classical in style. The cool and wet spring was followed by a wet May and a cool June, at this point the vintage was not looking hopeful. The grapes were ripening more slowly than was usual at this stage. However, this difficult start was followed by a near-perfect July, August and September giving the grapes time to dry out and ripen slowly and evenly. The early delays to development, now meant the grapes were allowed extra time on the vine to ripen giving excellent overall maturity. Producers picked in October, giving ripe and structured wines with cool elegance. A textbook vintage that will reward time in the cellar.