With the 2005 vintage, for the first time in history, the GAJA family decided to produce a classic Brunello without single vineyard designation, blended from all 40 acres the family has planted throughout the entire region. Pieve Santa Restituta’s Brunello di Montalcino is now produced from a selection of estate-grown grapes from throughout the winery’s four non-contiguous vineyards as well as 25 acres of southwest facing vineyards in Torrenieri, in northeastern Montalcino, acquired in 2006. For this vintage, fruit from the three Rennina vineyards and the Sugarille vineyard were used to produce the 2014 Brunello di Montalcino bottling. This is the only Brunello offering from GAJA this release.

The designation Rennina (rehn-NEE-nah) first appears in the High Middle Ages and is derived from the late-Roman name of the estate, Fundus Rescianum, denoting a state-owned farm. Since the Gaja family’s acquisition of the historic estate in 1994, three growing sites have been devoted to the cultivation of Sangiovese Grosso grapes for the production of Brunello di Montalcino: Santo Pietro (St. Peter), Castagno (Chestnut Tree), and Pian dei Cerri (Turkish Oak Flats). Here, lime-rich subsoils, southwest exposure, and ventilation arriving from the Tyrrhenian sea to the west deliver well-balanced Brunello di Montalcino, defined by its characteristic red fruit notes, minerality, and polished tannins.

The 2014 Brunello shows botanical notes and fresh fruity aromas of sage, rosemary, red currant and pomegrante, followed by complementary notes of clove and incense. On the palate, you immediately notice freshness and elegance. Stone fruits, such as pear and quince give way to a smooth, savory texture with vibrant acidity, silky tannins and long aftertaste.