2001 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille
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Tasting notes
The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille shows a translucent ruby color with mild bricking around the rim. It takes its time opening up, at first floral and dusty with hints of smoke and soy. Patience is rewarded, as darker and richer notes of dried cherries, strawberries and brown spice come forward in the glass. It is silky and elegant, ushering in cool-toned red and black berries along with savory spices and herbal tones creating a sense of umami. Even at twenty years old, the Sugarille tapers off with a youthful and lightly structured feel, balanced by vibrant acidity and enough residual fruit to ensure a number of years of further evolution. That said, this is open for business and highly enjoyable today. Sampled from the winery's cellar.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2001 Brunellos show the pedigree of the superior vintage. Gaja’s 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille is the more potent of the Brunellos. It displays a darker color along with notes of tar, smoke, spices, toasted oak and dark fruit on a full-bodied frame with terrific expansiveness and length on the palate. A lingering note of licorice frames the finish of this beautiful, deeply expressive Brunello. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2021. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900
Gaja's 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille is the more potent of the Brunellos. It displays a darker color along with notes of tar, smoke, spices, toasted oak and dark fruit on a full-bodied frame with terrific expansiveness and length on the palate. A lingering note of licorice frames the finish of this beautiful, deeply expressive Brunello. Anticipated maturity
Bright dark red. Highly perfumed aromas of red berries, red cherry, flowers, minerals, gunflint, leather, graphite and spices. Suave, deeply spicy and penetrating, with terrific extract and intensity to the juicy, pure red berry flavors. This compelling Brunello offers a silky texture, superb intensity and captivating inner-mouth perfume, finishing with compelling sweetness of tannins and outstanding breadth and length. Suavissimo! (Incidentally, I very much enjoyed the Rennina bottling as well, with its aromas and flavors of raspberry, minerals and spices; ripe, harmonious acidity; and dry, firm-edged finish. After scoring this wine 92 points, I realized that it was the 2000 vintage that had been sent from Italy!)
About the producer
Gaja has been at the forefront of the Piedmont wine scene for many years and is Barbaresco’s most decorated producer. The winery has received a record number of Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards – the highest accolade from Italy’s leading wine publication.