Do you drink Brunello?
You should.
Last October we ran a feature on the wines of La Fortuna and La Gerla from Brunello that met great success. A great number of die hard fans were born for these wineries and the excellent value they represent. This week we’d like to double down by putting the remaining quantity of these wines on sale for those with the ambition to seize a deal on ageworthy and highly rated Brunello. Many of these wines are back vintages which have been acquired after gentle aging in the winery’s cellars, and have rested in our temperature controlled storage. You won’t find a better opportunity to drink immaculately aged Sangiovese Grosso at attractive pricing anywhere else. Our full write-up on these wines can be found below.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock La Fortuna or La Gerla wines
10% off any 6 or more in-stock La Fortuna or La Gerla wines
Sale ends Wednesday April 10th at 9AM PST
10% off any 6 or more in-stock La Fortuna or La Gerla wines
Sale ends Wednesday April 10th at 9AM PST
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If you haven’t noticed, Italy is consistently producing some of the best vintages and wines the market has ever witnessed in recent years. The trend extends across the entire country, from the racy and mineral driven reds and whites of volcanic Sicily to the perfumed and haunting wines of Piedmont. The entire nation has fully emerged from the slumber of rustic winemaking methods and now the pursuit of excellence is all-encompassing.
Perhaps no single region has felt this rebirth as much as Brunello di Montalcino. Back in the late 20th century there were only a handful of producers that were catching global attention and occupying spots on some of the finest wine lists in the world. Today, the gorgeous hilltown of Montalcino and its surrounding vineyards are bursting at the seams with top-class wineries and beautiful sangiovese grosso based wines.
Let us introduce you to La Fortuna and La Gerla. Both of these producers got their start in the 70’s and they’ve had a meteoric rise to the top of Brunello fan lists since the turn of the century. The wineries have similar vineyard positionings on both the North East and North West slopes of Montalcino itself and also significant holdings in Castelnuovo dell’Abate in the Southeast. The former produces wines of greater elegance and delicacy, while the Castelnuovo bottlings are more structured and rich in fruit.
What is Brunello like?
It’s as ageworthy as a Bordeaux and as delicately perfumed as a fine Barolo. Dark black cherry, licorice, tobacco and sun-kissed Italian herbs.
What distinguishes these estates? Small details but they matter! La Fortuna has a winemaking regimen that includes longer aging in wood of a smaller size (Slovenian oak) and longer maceration time for the grape skins. The result is that Fortuna wines are often richer than their La Gerla comparison and suit a palate more accustomed to bolder, textured reds of Bordeaux and Spain. La Gerla Brunello is more akin to Barolo in style with that distinctly Italian acidity and intense fragrance of cherries and licorice.
Both of these producers make wines that can age for 20 years no problem, and with time their aromas, texture, and overall structure become increasingly impossible to resist. If Brunello isn’t a substantial part of your wine cellar, you are missing out on some of the greatest wine experiences you never knew were possible.
Check out our top La Fortuna and La Gerla recommendations below with praise from the critics.
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino 2013 750ml $59 special, 9 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 Points “Starts out with cherry, iron and tobacco flavors, before firming up, with a solid structure. A kernel of fruit holds steady as this red unfolds on the lingering finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 2,200 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.”
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 750ml $99 special, 11 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95+ points “The La Fortuna 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva opens to a moment of sweetness, a tiny interval that is quickly followed by spice, balsam herb and dried cherry. That sweetness disappears after the second sip or two, and the savory components of the wine—the spice, the smoke and the earthy notes—begin to take over. This wine spreads over the palate with slow and steady consistency. This is a 7,000-bottle release made from a selection of fruit from the estate’s 18 hectares of vines.”
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 750ml $99 special, 22 bottles available
Wine Advocate 95 points “The La Fortuna 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a wine of pretty Sangiovese purity. This Riserva (with 9,000 bottles produced) shows a darkly saturated color with plump and intense aromas of wild cherry, crushed flowers, fresh plums, spice and ferrous earth. Balsam herb and rosemary-like aromas round off the finish. There is great freshness, some oak tannins, a drying finish and lots of rich fruit fiber. This is a terrific wine from La Fortuna (although I need to point out the high 15.5% alcohol).”
La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino 2021 750ml $24 special, 20 bottles available
Winery Notes “Spontaneous fermentation without artificial yeasts. The wine is aged for 9 months in Slavonian and French oak barrels. It is then aged in the bottle for another 4 months before it goes on sale.”
La Gerla Gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 750ml $89 special, 3 bottles available
CLOSE-OUT SALE WAS $99 NOW $89
Wine Spectator 96 points “Rich and round, here is a red full of macerated plum and cherry flavors, with almond, leather, spice and earth accents. Firms up on the finish, where the vibrant fruit echoes. Best from 2025 through 2050. 500 cases made, 280 cases imported. — BS”
Wine Advocate 95 points “The La Gerla 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli is a softly textured and fleshed out wine that shows darker and deeper fruit (compared to the 2016 Brunello that I tasted at the same time). This wine makes a great first impression, mostly thanks to that sense of quiet balance. As it opens in the glass, I notice the pretty ripeness of the vintage with dark cherry and summer plum. In all, this Riserva gives us an accessible and rich expression that will perform nicely upon release. Production is 8,560 bottles, and this wine will hit the market in April 2021.”
La Gerla Gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 750ml $99 special, 21 bottles available
Vinous 96 points “Smoldering with remarkable depth, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Gli Angeli makes itself known with a blend of spicy citrus peels and minty herbs giving way to masses of black cherry, strawberries, hints of iodine and smoke. This is a textural thrill ride, velvety and almost weighty in feel, while finding wonderful balance in its vibrant acidity and the tart wild berry fruits and savory spices that are unleashed upon the palate. Hints of mocha combine with sour cherry and almond paste through the impressively long and classically structured finale. In the end, the 2016 Gli Angeli is the total package. This Riserva is a single-vineyard bottling from La Gerla’s northern Montalcino vineyard, which was planted by Biondi-Santi in 1968.”
Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Inviting aromas of wild berries, baking spice, new leather and charcuterie come to the forefront. Full-bodied and elegantly structured, the smooth palate features dried cherry, baked plum, vanilla and mocha framed in fine-grained tannins. Drink 2024–2031. Kerin O’Keefe”
Wine Advocate 94 points “The La Gerla 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli is polished and tightly knit with lots of silky inner shine. The fruit shows good primary intensity with dried cherry and cassis, but this Riserva also accommodates some tertiary or aged aromas of spice, leather and tar. Earthy tones, cola and wild rose are folded into this fresh and elegant Sangiovese. There are some smoky oaky tones that are a little aggressive at first, but they do largely subside.”
La Gerla La Pieve, Brunello di Montalcino 2017 750ml $59 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Spectator 93 points “Delivers a broad swath of black cherry, plum, graphite and earth flavors fused to a firm layer of tannins. Fresh and lively, finishing with iron and spice flavors. Needs time to tame the tannins. Best from 2025 through 2042. 480 cases made, 100 cases imported.”
La Gerla La Pieve, Brunello di Montalcino 2018 750ml $69 special, 10 bottles available
Wine Spectator 92 points “Deep and savory, this red exhibits black cherry, blackberry, eucalyptus, rosemary, iron and earth flavors. Showing assertive tannins, this finishes with a chewy, compact feel. Best from 2025 through 2042. 583 cases made, 250 cases imported.”
Want to Go Big? Large Formats Available
La Fortuna Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012 1.5L $199 special, 2 bottles available
Wine Spectator 97 points “Perfumed, with wild herb aromas and a subtle mix of strawberry and cherry fruit. Vibrant and dense, with fine acidity driving the long finish. Though elegant, there is intensity and fine energy on the aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2028.”
La Gerla Gli Angeli Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 1.5L $219 special, 7 bottles available
La Gerla Gli Angeli Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 3L $449 special, 2 bottles available
Vinous 96 points Smoldering with remarkable depth, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Gli Angeli makes itself known with a blend of spicy citrus peels and minty herbs giving way to masses of black cherry, strawberries, hints of iodine and smoke. This is a textural thrill ride, velvety and almost weighty in feel, while finding wonderful balance in its vibrant acidity and the tart wild berry fruits and savory spices that are unleashed upon the palate. Hints of mocha combine with sour cherry and almond paste through the impressively long and classically structured finale. In the end, the 2016 Gli Angeli is the total package. This Riserva is a single-vineyard bottling from La Gerla’s northern Montalcino vineyard, which was planted by Biondi-Santi in 1968.”
All La Fortuna & La Gerla Wines Available
| LA FORTUNA WINES | VWS PRICE | AVAILABLE | LINK |
| LA FORTUNA BDM RISERVA 12 1.5L | $199.00 | 2 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA BRUNELLO 2013 | $59.00 | 9 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA BRUNELLO 2018 | $49.00 | 22 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA BRUNELLO RISERVA 13 | $89.00 | 1 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA BRUNELLO RISERVA 15 | $99.00 | 11 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA BRUNELLO RISERVA 16 | $99.00 | 22 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA ROSSO FORTUNELLO 20 | $16.00 | 2 | Link |
| LA FORTUNA ROSSO MONTALCINO 21 | $24.00 | 20 | Link |
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