94 points - "The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino wafts up with heavenly perfumes as geraniums, bergamot and rose petals mix with lavender and exotic spice. It is lifted and sleek with cool-toned acidity and tart red and blue fruits flowing beneath an air of violet inner florals. The finish has saturating tension, mixing fine-grained tannins with graphite mineral tones and citrus, while hints of sour cherry pinch at the cheeks." - Eric Guido (Vinous)

96 points - "A restrained wine with a graceful nose of subtle red cherries, wild strawberries, sweet violets and complex earth and tamarind. Full-bodied with licorice flavors, a dense mid-palate and velvety tannins that are powerful yet ripe. Slightly lifted acidity and a long, chewy finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027." - James Suckling (James Suckling)

Importer's Notes:

Pieve Santa Restituta is located in the Tavernelle region of Montalcino, Tuscany, and the estate showcases Gaja’s commitment to excellence in Sangiovese based wines. Acquired by Gaja in 1994 it was the family’s first expansion outside the area of Barbaresco and Barolo. The estate had 27ha of established vineyards there, and wine production dates back to the 12th century.

The Pieve (Church) on the property dates back to 462 AD. When purchased, registers were found from the monks referring to the vineyards of Rennina and Sugarille. These were very early on identified as ideal sites for wine production. The church is still consecrated and one of only three dedicated to Saint Restituta in Italy. The winery is named after this church situated in the middle of the estate, surrounded by the Rennina and Sugarille vineyards.

First produced in 2005, this is a blend of several vineyards, currently utilising the 9ha of Deserti near Torrenieri (250m elevation) and, for the first time since 2019, a parcel from Bolsignano (450m elevation), a 7.4 hectare site surrounded by natural woodland, adding a higher component of Galestro than the clay-dominant Deserti site for further freshness and structure. The Brunello also contains a small percentage from the vineyards used for Rennina and Sugarille.

They use cool, chilled ferments with whole berries and some whole-bunch, keeping only the ‘flower’ of the ferment plus another 10-15% drained naturally from the cap — pressed skins are never used. The wine spends its first six months in 2yr-or-older French oak Tonneau (no new oak used across the range), then moves to large-format Botti for the remainder of the two years required by DOCG, followed by 6-12 months in concrete before bottling. This is the introduction to their Brunellos, a little fleshier and softer in tannin, designed for earlier drinking on release.

Harvest ran September 15–30, following a mild, wetter winter, a cold dry spring, and a mid-March frost that caused only minimal damage in Torrenieri. The 2021 shows recurring citrus and floral character with power, freshness and sweet, silky tannins: mineral flint and nutmeg, citrusy bergamot and rosehip on the nose, a sweet, juicy, medium-to-full palate, and a persistent, savory finish of ripe plum.

The first wine produced under the name Pieve Santa Restituta was in 1974 but the first vintage produced by Gaja family was in 1995. All three wines are produced at the estate - A Brunello di Montalcino blended from multiple sites and two single site expressions, Rennina and Sugarille.
This wine was first produced in 2005 and is a blend of all the vineyards, currently utilising the 9ha of Deserti and a small amount of Rennina and Sugarille. They use cool, chilled ferments utilising whole berries and some whole-bunch. Stem usage is carefully managed as to avoid any green flavours in the wine. The key advantage to stem usage is they can reduce final alcohol by volume in a wine by up to 1%.

They only keep the ‘flower’ of the ferment for their wines, just the juice that is drained off. The last 10 to 20% of the volume making up the pressed wine are not used at all for the wines of Pieve Santa Restituta.

The elevage however for this wine is a little different to the other two single site wines. After primary ferment is completed the wine spends the first six months of its life in 2yr or older French oak Tonneau, no new oak is used for any of the wines. After this period the wine is moved to large format oak Botti for the remainder of the two years required by the DOCG rules.

Then the wine is moved to concrete for 6-12 months before it is bottled. This wine is the introduction to their Brunello’s, a little fleshier in fruit and softer in tannin and designed to be an earlier drinking style and approachable on release.