Cerbaiona Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Cerbaiona is a small operation in Brunello di Montalcino which has achieved legendary status in a short time, for any number of reasons. The wines are as actively chased as any cult release, which is no surprise as they are spectacular stuff. With only around 18,000 bottles across all wines, for the entire world, one needs to be quick and have relatively deep pockets. The Estate was sold in 2015 and is now managed by American Matthew Fioretti, who is taking the wines to even greater heights. Matthew reminds one, for all the world, of a winemaking version of Stanley Tucci. The 2019 vintage in Brunello is getting endless accolades (personally, I think the 2018 vintage was such an ethereally beautiful year that it should sit with the best, but it seems overlooked) and the Estate’s 2020, when released, will reveal yet another superb gem. There is real complexity immediately obvious here –  notes of tobacco leaves, animal skins, cherries, coffee beans, hints of plums and florals, and plush cassis. A medium length style with fine tannins, the wine offers more elegance than one finds in almost any other 2019. This is already very appealing but in time, will really shine. Ten or twelve years with ease. Matthew has requested that visiting writers do not attach scores to his wines, so we will respect that, although it would have been high. 

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic