Gianni Brunelli

Gianni Brunelli founded the estate in 1987 when he purchased Le Chiuse di Sotto, a property in northeast Montalcino with deep family roots: it had originally been owned by his father Dino, and a small plot of Sangiovese vines Dino planted in 1947 remains in production today. Before turning to winemaking, Gianni and Laura had already built a notable culinary reputation, operating the acclaimed Osteria Le Logge restaurant in Siena from 1977 onward. In the mid-1990s the couple expanded their vineyard holdings by acquiring Podernovone in the warmer southeast of Montalcino, adding altitude, different soils, and a contrasting microclimate to the estate's palette. This dual-vineyard foundation became the structural basis for a blending approach that is unusual among small Montalcino producers. The project was always characterised by careful, labour-intensive farming and a commitment to organic viticulture from the very beginning.

• Le Chiuse di Sotto was originally owned by Gianni's father Dino; a vine plot Dino planted in 1947 still contributes to production
• Gianni and Laura previously ran Osteria Le Logge, a Siena restaurant founded in 1977, before focusing on wine
• Podernovone in southeast Montalcino was added in the mid-1990s, giving the estate two geographically distinct sites
• Organic farming was established as a practice from the estate's founding in 1987

When Gianni Brunelli died unexpectedly in November 2008, Laura assumed complete responsibility for both the technical and administrative direction of the estate. Rather than changing course, she maintained the classical philosophy Gianni had established while steering the property toward increasing critical recognition. Cousin Adriano Brunelli assists with management, and the core team of workers has remained largely stable for decades, with several living on the property itself. Laura's tenure has produced some of the estate's most celebrated wines: the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva earned 100 points from Wine Advocate, and the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino received 100 points from Kerin O'Keefe, placing fifth in her Top 100 Wines of 2025. In 2025 Laura presented the 2016 Brunello at Vinous Icons Italy in New York, and a new US importing partnership with Sour Grapes Wine was announced in 2023.

• Laura Brunelli took full control of winemaking and estate direction after Gianni's death in November 2008
• Cousin Adriano Brunelli assists with management; core workers have remained largely unchanged for decades
• 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva scored 100 points (Wine Advocate, 2021); 2021 Brunello scored 100 points (Kerin O'Keefe, ranked #5 Top 100 Wines of 2025)
• New US importer Sour Grapes Wine signed in 2023; Laura featured at Vinous Icons Italy 2025 in New York

The estate's 6.5 hectares of vines are split across two sites that differ markedly in altitude, exposure, and soil character. Le Chiuse di Sotto sits at 250 meters in the Canalicchio area of northeast Montalcino, a cooler, fresher sector known for producing wines with vibrant acidity; of its area, two hectares are planted to Sangiovese and 2.5 hectares carry olive groves. Podernovone in the southeast rises to 500-520 meters on south-facing slopes, with rocky calcareous-marl and schist soils that warm the fruit more thoroughly; its 4.5 planted hectares carry Sangiovese along with some Merlot, and the property is divided into four named parcels: Olmo, Oliva, Quercia, and Gelso. The Brunello di Montalcino is blended from both sites, combining the freshness of the north with the structure of the south, an approach that Laura credits with delivering the classical balance the estate seeks. All fruit is estate-grown; no purchased grapes enter the winery.

• Le Chiuse di Sotto: 250 meters elevation, northeast Montalcino (Canalicchio), cooler microclimate, 2 hectares Sangiovese plus 2.5 hectares olive groves
• Podernovone: 500-520 meters, southeast Montalcino, south-facing, rocky calcareous-marl and schist soils, four named parcels (Olmo, Oliva, Quercia, Gelso)
• Total planted area is 6.5 hectares; all fruit is estate-grown with no purchased grapes
• Brunello di Montalcino is blended from both vineyards, combining northern freshness with southern structure

The house style is rooted firmly in the classical Brunello tradition: fermentation with indigenous yeasts, extended aging in large Slavonian oak casks ranging from 5 to 30 hectoliters, and a deliberate emphasis on elegance and grace rather than extracted power. No new small barriques are used, keeping the wine's varietal character and site expression at the fore. The 2015 construction of a purpose-built winery at Podernovone added gravity-flow movement of fruit and juice, reducing mechanical stress and aligning with the minimal-intervention ethos; the facility also uses solar energy and traditional stone construction with a thermic isolation corridor to maintain stable cellar temperatures with minimal energy input. Amor Costante, an IGT Sangiovese-Merlot blend sourced from Podernovone, is the single departure from the 100% Sangiovese approach used for Brunello and Rosso. Manual labour throughout the growing season amounts to approximately 400 hours per hectare.

• Fermentation uses indigenous yeasts; aging is in large Slavonian oak casks of 5-30 hectoliter capacity, no new barriques
• New 2015 winery at Podernovone uses gravity-flow design, solar energy, stone construction, and a thermic isolation corridor
• Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino are 100% Sangiovese; Amor Costante IGT is a Sangiovese-Merlot blend from Podernovone
• Manual labour throughout the growing season runs approximately 400 hours per hectare

At barely 6.5 hectares and roughly 15,000-17,000 bottles of Brunello per vintage, Gianni Brunelli represents the artisan end of Montalcino at its most focused. The estate's unusual dual-vineyard blending strategy, combining a low-altitude northern site with a high-altitude southern one, produces wines that have earned multiple 100-point scores and consistent placement in top annual rankings without abandoning the traditional production methods that define classical Brunello. Laura Brunelli's stewardship since 2008 has demonstrated that the estate's philosophy is robust and transferable across generations, a point underscored by the 2023 Rosso di Montalcino being named a standout at the Wine Society's 2025 Wine Champions Italian tasting alongside the Brunello's international accolades. The combination of century-old vine heritage, organic farming, and gravity-flow sustainable winemaking makes Gianni Brunelli a producer that DOCG study must include when examining Montalcino's diversity of approaches.

• Multiple 100-point scores across different critics confirm consistent quality at boutique production levels of ~15,000-17,000 bottles of Brunello per year
• Dual-vineyard north-south blending strategy is uncommon in Montalcino and central to the house identity
• Laura Brunelli's post-2008 stewardship has maintained and elevated the estate's critical standing through ongoing critical acclaim
• Estate exemplifies classical Brunello philosophy: indigenous yeasts, large Slavonian casks, organic farming, estate-only fruit