The 2019 Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino is a Sangiovese from Tuscany's renowned Brunello di Montalcino sub-region. This red wine has garnered significant attention from professional reviewers for its distinctive characteristics and balance.
Monica Larner from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded it a score of 93, noting, "The Tenuta Luce 2019 Brunello di Montalcino carries a good amount of oak spice with campfire ash, forest floor, dried cherry, cassis, rye bread, and something floral like a hydrangea or pressed rose." She also identified a balsamic note with "Sambuca or aniseed" and highlighted its medium to full-bodied nature with dried fruit flavors and a substantial 15% alcohol content.
Vinous' Eric Guido scored the wine a 92, describing it as "dark and imposing" with a "brooding mix of savory herbs, crushed stone, and red currants." Guido praised its silky, nearly creamy texture with cooling acidity and polished red fruits, noting that it "tapers off classically dry and structured with crunchy tannins" and hints of lavender and exotic spice.
Jane Anson from janeanson.com gave the wine a 95, calling it "the best of the three Luces in the March Releases lineup." She highlighted its "enticing fragrance and beautifully juicy quality to the tannins" with a combination of dry underbrush, fennel, leather, savory sour cherry fruits, and sweeter brambled blackberry and pomegranate. Anson emphasized its "flexibility and grip" and noted it was aged for two years in Slovenian oak barrels.
Jeb Dunnuck's Audrey Frick scored it a 94, noting its "dark magenta/red color" and describing it as an "opulent wine" with aromas of "boysenberry preserve, vanilla bean, toasted cedar, fresh leather, and crushed rosemary." Frick commended its full-bodied, mouth-filling nature with "sweet tannins and a long finish," suggesting it has "a great deal of complexity and longevity ahead of it."
James Suckling provided an outstanding review with a score of 98, describing the wine as having "black cherries and blueberries with walnut and lavender undertones." He praised its medium body and "very fine tannins that run the length of the wine and caress every inch of your palate," calling it "fresh and vivid" and recommending it for cellaring, though it's "already fantastic to taste."
Wine Spectator's BS gave it a 95, highlighting its "ripe and opulent" nature with flavors of "black cherry, blackberry, and plum." They noted its vibrant, solid build with "notes of wild thyme, earth, and sweet spices," commending its "terrific balance and length" and suggesting it is best from 2027 through 2043.
Decanter's review, with a score of 92, described it as "fragrant and floral on the nose" with "crushed rose petals and violet scents." They noted its "extremely high acidity" and "intense tannins," observing that it has "some character and an initial burst of brightness" but becomes "a little restricted towards the finish," calling it "tight and tense" yet "streamlined."
Overall, the 2019 Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino is a well-regarded wine with high scores from multiple reviewers, praised for its balance, complexity, and aging potential.