Description
Le Chiuse Brunello di Montalcino 2014 is a 750ml, 14% ABV Brunello made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso by one of Montalcino’s most historically significant estates. This vintage earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast reviewer Kerin O’Keefe, who praised its “remarkable elegance” and compelling finesse a score that places it among the top Brunellos of a challenging vintage.
Quick Facts: ABV: 14% | Origin: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany, Italy | Vintage: 2014 | Producer: Le Chiuse (Simonetta Valiani)
Production & Heritage
Le Chiuse occupies vineyards that were once part of the legendary Biondi-Santi estate and were used for Biondi-Santi Riserva production until 1993. The estate is owned by Simonetta Valiani, great-granddaughter of Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, the figure widely credited with creating Brunello di Montalcino as a category. The vines preserve a Sangiovese clone selected by Tancredi Biondi-Santi specifically for these plots, planted at a density of 4,500 plants per hectare and cordon spur-trained. For this 2014 vintage, grapes were hand-harvested in the last week of September, crushed and transferred to tank by gravity, then fermented with indigenous yeasts over an 18-day maceration at 29C. The wine aged for three years in 20-hectoliter Allier and Slavonian oak botte, followed by two years of bottle aging before release.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: The nose is fragrant and immediately expressive, opening with red berry and blue flower before revealing layers of rose, white pepper, and crushed dried herbs. A violet-like freshness runs through the aromatics, lending a cool-toned character.
Taste: The entry is vibrant and linear, with juicy red cherry and strawberry compote leading into a mid-palate accented by star anise and a whisper of tobacco. There is a notable tension here the wine feels taut rather than opulent, with bright acidity and refined tannins providing seamless structural support. The overall impression is one of finesse rather than power.
Finish: Medium-long and precise, the finish carries lingering notes of red fruit and dried herbs framed by fine-grained tannins. The acidity persists cleanly, leaving a sensation of freshness and mineral purity.
How to Drink Le Chiuse 2014
This Brunello is best served at 6065F (1618C) in a large-bowled glass after 30 to 60 minutes of decanting. Its elegance and structure reward patient, attentive sipping adding a splash of water or ice is not recommended, as doing so would collapse the delicate aromatic layers and dilute the tannin structure that defines the wine.
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Le Chiuse 2014 taste like? The dominant profile is juicy red cherry and strawberry compote with accents of star anise, white pepper, tobacco, and dried herbs, carried by bright acidity and refined tannins. It is notably elegant and linear rather than heavily extracted or fruit-forward.
How does Le Chiuse compare to Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino? Le Chiuse’s vineyards were historically part of the Biondi-Santi estate and retain the same Sangiovese clone selected by Tancredi Biondi-Santi, so the two wines share a lineage and a preference for elegance over power. Le Chiuse typically positions at a lower price tier than Biondi-Santi while offering a stylistically similar expression rooted in the same terroir and genetic material.
Is Le Chiuse 2014 good for cellaring? Yes the taut tannin structure, bright acidity, and traditional aging regimen (three years in large oak, two years in bottle) suggest the wine has the backbone for continued development. That said, its fragrance and balance also make it compelling to drink now with adequate decanting.
Where is Le Chiuse made? Le Chiuse is located in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG zone in southern Tuscany, Italy. The estate’s vineyards sit on plots historically associated with the Biondi-Santi property, one of the appellation’s most storied sites.
What foods pair well with Le Chiuse 2014? Bistecca alla fiorentina highlights the wine’s tannin and acidity. Slow-braised wild boar rag mirrors its herbal complexity. Aged Pecorino di Pienza offers a salty counterpoint to the red fruit. Roasted lamb with rosemary complements the dried herb notes. Porcini mushroom risotto brings an earthy depth that amplifies the wine’s savory undertone.
What sizes does Le Chiuse 2014 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.
Is Le Chiuse 2014 worth the price? Le Chiuse positions as a premium Brunello that punches above its price tier, particularly given the 95-point score from Wine Enthusiast and the estate’s direct lineage to the Biondi-Santi family. Compared to top-tier Montalcino producers with similar critical acclaim, it represents strong value within the DOCG.
Why Le Chiuse 2014?
Few Brunello producers can claim a direct genetic and geographic link to the very origins of the appellation. Le Chiuse farms the same Sangiovese clone, on the same land, that once produced Biondi-Santi Riservas a detail that is not marketing lore but documented history. The 95-point score from Kerin O’Keefe at Wine Enthusiast confirms that this connection translates into the glass, with O’Keefe singling out the wine’s “remarkable elegance” and “compelling finesse.” For anyone drawn to the classic, linear, terroir-driven style of Brunello rather than the modern fruit-bomb approach, the 2014 Le Chiuse stands as one of the vintage’s most accomplished expressions.
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