La Gerla’s Brunello di Montalcino 2021 is a classic, estate-grown expression of Sangiovese from Tuscany’s Montalcino DOCG. The winery, founded by Sergio Rossi in 1976 and still family-run, works exclusively with Sangiovese from its own vineyards. For this bottling, Monica Larner reports in *Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate* that the vineyards sit “in various spots across the northeast and southeast quadrants of the appellation,” a geographic spread that helps explain the wine’s mix of lift and structure. She also notes a production of “30,000 bottles.”
The critical reception is strong, led by an excellent 95-point review from Larner, who describes the wine as “balancing aromatic brightness with medium textural concentration,” with “lively notes of tart cherry and grenadine,” plus “light spice and grilled herbs.” She emphasizes a “classical Sangiovese profile,” carried by “bright acidity and a mineral thread that adds focus.”
Several other professional reviews land in the 93–94 point range, reinforcing the wine’s quality and its youthful firmness. *Wine Spectator* (94 points) calls it “supple,” with “cherry, raspberry, floral, mineral and wild herb flavors,” noting it “build[s] on the palate” to a “broad, dusty finish” where “dense tannins leave a grip,” and recommends cellaring, “Best from 2028 through 2045.” Jeb Dunnuck (94 points) highlights an aromatic set leaning red-fruited and savory—“orange peel, cranberries, redcurrants… dried earth, and fresh Mediterranean herbs”—and says it is “bright and medium-bodied” with “zesty acidity” and “salty mouthwatering accents,” projecting a long drinking window of “12–15 years.”
Vinous (93 points) finds “mentholated freshness” with “olive brine and wild strawberries,” turning “soft and soothing” before the “hulking structure is revealed on the finish.” James Suckling (93 points) underscores the wine’s tighter, more acid-driven side, calling it “smoky and toasty,” with “brilliant acidity and firm, velvety tannins,” advising, “Best after 2028.”
