VAL DI SUGA
TUSCANY, ITALY 2021
WHY BUY: When it comes to Brunello, you can't beat tradition, and Val di Suga is one of the greatest of the traditionalist Brunello producers. This quintet — a 97-pointer for only $109, two 96-pointers, and a 95-pointer, along with an entry-level Rosso that might just be the best $25 bottle of wine you'll find all year — shows everything we love about this proud estate: the range and variety of their their 3 vineyard sites, which is simply unmatched in the region, and gives these wines such character and depth; the approach in the cellar (long fermentations, extended maceration on the skins, patient aging in a marriage of French oak and concrete) that makes for wines of worth, and that can age; and (not least) the tremendous value they represent in Brunello (none of these 5 tops $120, and two are under $75, including that must-have $25 Rosso). These are wines that couple silkiness with structure, energy with maturity, and that will imprint themselves indelibly upon your memory.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Wine Spectator honored the Poggio al Granchio 2021 with 97 points, calling it "rich and round and saturated," with cherry and wild herb flavors, an "underlying mineral vein," and real "youthful vigor." Jeb Dunnuck gave 96 points to two of these wines: the Vigna del Lago 2021, with its "medium-bodied, elegant, and seamless” palate, and the Vigna Spuntali 2020 — "the fullest bodied and most savory of the Val di Suga lineup," with aromatics of "black raspberry, licorice, menthol, sage, cinnamon, and iron-rich earth.” Dunnuck was also impressed with the standard Brunello 2021, a wine, he wrote, in his 95-point review, of "vibrant acidity" and "dense, chalky tannins," which "provide support" and deliver "fine harmony and length."
OUR TASTING NOTES: The Poggio al Granchio is the showcase bottle, and it delivers on its promise; this is a wine of striking opulence and depth, with a mineral seam running through the center that sets everything into relief. The Vigna del Lago is all elegance and silk, with an almost construction and a marvelous lift on the finish. The Vigna Spuntali is the wine that brings the muscle. It’s a fuller, deeper, more savory expression, with a sun-baked Mediterranean character that speaks unmistakably of the land from which it hails. The standard Brunello 2021 is anything but standard-issue. We loved its aromatic complexity, its mid-palate intensity, and its note of lingering minerality. Only 250 cases were imported, and that just makes this charmer that much more valuable. As for the Rosso 2023, the word is: overdelivers. There’s real Montalcino character here, and we're not being cute when we say it may be the best bottle at this price ($25) you encounter this year.
THE STORY: What continues to fascinate us about Val di Suga — and by that we mean apart from the sheer quality of what ends up in the glass — is the geographical hand they've been dealt, and how shrewdly they play it. The Vigna del Lago vineyard sits on the northern slope at roughly 300 meters, where the cooler air expresses itself in two ways, giving the wines both energy and aromatic lift. Poggio al Granchio occupies the southeast slope at nearly 400 meters, contributing backbone and staying power. And Vigna Spuntali, in the southwest, brings depth, richness, and a kind of Mediterranean warmth. No one else in Montalcino has all three. What's just as remarkable is what, over the years, they've refused to do. As many of their neighbors chased ripeness and extraction (bending, perhaps, to critical fashion or to the pressures of a warming climate), Val di Suga has simply kept doing what it's always done. And we’re all the beneficiaries of that steadfastness and old-school stubbornness, with vintage after vintage yielding wines of depth, dimension, and irresistible appeal.
THE SPECS: Long fermentations are the house standard, with roughly 20 days of post-fermentation maceration on the skins. The Brunellos then spend 24 months in French oak, followed by six months in concrete vats, a final resting period that preserves the wine’s freshness while allowing every element in the mix to incorporate fully.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: These wines are built for big bowls of Bolognese; for pan-seared duck breast with cherries and wild herbs; for plates of polenta topped with taleggio, roasted mushrooms, and fresh thyme; and for any kind of charcuterie board you can conceive.
OUR GUARANTEE: We always buy and source directly from the estate, so rest assured: your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Order yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2026 (Dec.21st - Mar. 20th, 2027). With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in IL, KS, KY, MI, MO, NY, OK, or TN. This offer is valid for TWO WEEKS, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026.