Pieve Santa Restituta
(Gaja) Brunello di Montalcino "Sugarille" 2001
(Tuscany, Italy) 750mL - [WA 94] [VM 94] [WS 93] [WE 93]

About the Winery:

Pieve Santa Restituta is GAJA's estate in Montalcino, purchased in 1994. It is the family's first expansion outside the Barbaresco and Barolo areas since its establishment in 1859. Since 1994 several redevelopment works have been carried out in the vineyards to transform the vine growing methods in line with GAJA’s winemaking philosophy. The name of the winery derives from the ancient Pieve (church) situated in the middle of the estate, whose foundations date back to the 4th century AD. The labels chosen for the wines pay tribute to the Pieve and recall the typical colors of the Gaja family, i.e. black and white. Wine has been made here since the 12th century.
Santa Restituta is the patron saint of the island of Ischia, off the coast of Naples, where she was miraculously delivered from her pagan torturers who had planned to kill her at sea.
The labels chosen for the wines pay tribute to the Pieve and recall the typical colors of the Gaja family, the iconic black and white. Pieve Santa Restituta produces three Brunello di Montalcino wines: Rennina, Sugarille and Brunello di Montalcino.
The estate spans 86 acres under vines. Vineyards are located in a particularly privileged position, facing south and southwest, and the estate has an altitude ranging from 1,050 to 1,150 feet above sea level. The hills, of the Eocene age and facing the sea, are characterized by an extremely windy, dry and bright microclimate, preventing damp stagnation and allowing full grape ripening.
Pieve Santa Restituta combines traditional Tuscan winemaking methods with modern techniques to enhance the expression of the Sangiovese grape and the unique terroir of Montalcino.
The wines are typically aged in a mix of new oak casks and older vessels, allowing for both the preservation of fruit character and the development of complex tertiary notes.
The estate pays close attention to vineyard management and the specific characteristics of their vineyards, aiming to express the distinctiveness of the Montalcino terroir in their wines.

About the Wine:

Sugarille is the name given to the parish estate, as a result of the inventory drawn up in 1547 by canon Giovanni Sampieri. Sugarille is the name both of the vineyard and the wine.

A single vineyard facing south and covering a surface of 4.5 hectares mainly consisting o clay and limestone, with the presence of galestro (a rocky, schistous clay soil).

Fermentation and maceration for around three weeks followed by 24 months of aging in oak and another six months in concrete vats.

Tasting Notes:

Even deeper hues of concentrated ruby-red color than the Rennina 2018. The nose begins with sweet notes of cotton candy, pomegranate, and hints of tea rose all culminating in a savory mouthfeel, a classic style of this vineyard. The tannins are rich and silky.

Ratings and Reviews

94 Points - Wine Advocate:
"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." - Antonio Galloni (Dec 2006)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"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. (Drink between 2021-2028)." - Eric Guido (Mar 2021)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Aromas of dried fruit, smoky wood and hints of red licorice. Full-bodied, with lots of jammy fruit and a long, soft finish. Big and juicy. This needs time. Best after 2009." (Jul 2006)

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"A gorgeous single-vineyard Brunello from Angelo Gaja's Tuscan estate, this wine is slightly more round and fleshy than Rennina but equally as complex and elegant. This is truly a great wine with velvet-like smoothness on the palate and intense black fruit and balsam aromas. It's pensive yet yielding, refined and powerful all at once." (Jan 2007)