2020 Tuscany Vintage

Tuscany's winter brought fairly limited rain. Budbreak came in the last days of March during cold days with minimum temperatures below zero, with sporadic cold damage on valley floors and on the earliest varieties. In Chianti Classico, the smaller crop is linked mainly to cold nights in early April that hit the budding stage, after a fairly cool spring; Montalcino had no winter frosts and a dry spring. Flowering began between 20 and 25 May depending on variety, in warm, dry, lightly windy weather, and fruit set was excellent. Chianti Classico's summer was long and hot, with good day-night temperature variation and no water shortage, thanks to rain in June and September. Montalcino had good rain in June, a dry July, rain in August, only two brief, moderate heatwaves (one between July and August, one in the second half of August) and a season total of 543 mm. Across Tuscany, veraison on Sangiovese began in the last days of July, slightly ahead of the recent average, and by early September the continuing dry, hot weather had begun to cause water stress. Sangiovese for Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was expected toward the end of September. A 15 percent smaller Tuscan crop was forecast on 3 September 2020, possibly more if drought persisted; Chianti Classico estimated a dip of at least 10 percent on 2019.

• Budbreak: last days of March, with sub-zero minimums and sporadic cold damage on valley floors
• Flowering: began 20 to 25 May, followed by excellent fruit set
• Summer: long and hot in Chianti Classico with moderate July and August minimums; two brief, moderate heatwaves and 543 mm season rain in Montalcino
• Disease: downy mildew very limited or absent, but significant powdery mildew pressure needed extra treatments from late June to mid-July

Each zone tells its own story. The Chianti Classico Consorzio expected 2020 to be another excellent year, with wines of great structure and balance. In Montalcino, Tenuta Luce began picking its Sangiovese on 18 September, with healthy fruit of great aromatic potential. In the coastal Maremma, August temperatures at Fattoria Le Pupille were high, with cool nights and consistent breezes, and the estate began picking a bit early. In Bolgheri, Axel Heinz, director of Masseto, told Decanter that "2020 is a great example of the now-unpredictable nature of our weather," with a spell of high heat and periods of cooler temperatures and rain; Masseto finished picking its Merlot on 15 September.

• Chianti Classico: long, hot summer, no water shortage, crop at least 10 percent below 2019
• Montalcino: five stars; Tenuta Luce began picking Sangiovese on 18 September
• Maremma: high August temperatures with cool nights and breezes at Fattoria Le Pupille
• Bolgheri: Masseto's Merlot picked by 15 September; Bolgheri vineyards were forecast for mid-September picking

The Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino summed up Brunello 2020 in three words, translated: "captivating, brilliant, succulent." Its new Brunello Forma assessment, presented on 16 November 2024, drew on blind tastings of 57 bottled 2020 Brunello samples by a panel of eight Masters of Wine. The panel found ripe fruit often layered with floral notes, and fresh acidity, succulent tannins and alcoholic warmth in good balance, with some samples showing alcohol more prominently in line with a warmer year. The panel called the vintage versatile, with some wines delicate and fine and others bolder and more concentrated, and judged the wines accessible now yet made to age. For Tuscany as a whole, the Assoenologi, Ismea and Unione Italiana Vini forecast expected an excellent vintage for quality, especially for red wines for ageing.

• Brunello: refined, juicy, smooth tannins with fresh acidity, pointing to ageing potential
• Brunello: consistent quality, with polyphenol and anthocyanin levels indicating structure and colour
• Chianti Classico: great structure and balance expected