VALDICAVA
TUSCANY, ITALY 2021
WHY BUY: Valdicava has just delivered not one but TWO of the top 9 wines of the 2021 Brunello vintage, according to the critics — and we've secured both bottles for your drinking pleasure. As a bonus, we've also included their 97-point Riserva Madonna del Piano, one of the standouts of a 2020 class that (like the best of that crop) marry power and elegance, and their loads-better-than-it-needs-to-be Rosso (a tremendous value, at only $45 a bottle).
THE PEDIGREE: "A strong argument can be made that Valdicava is among the top three or four Brunello di Montalcino producers," Robert Parker once declared, and the relentless excellence of this landmark estate proves what happens when superlative terroir joins forces with an obsessive perfectionism. What makes these wines so remarkable is their slightly more modern approach to Brunello. Fruit-forward and fresh, they offer immediate appeal while sacrificing nothing of the structure and longevity that Brunello lovers seek.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: James Suckling awarded 99-point scores to both 2021 Brunellos, declaring the Montosoli "one of the wines of the vintage" and praising its "ripeness of fruit” with "aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, lavender and roses" plus a "chewy and tight tannin structure and long, intense and muscular finish." The regular Brunello earned equal praise for its "stunning aromas of beautifully ripe Sangiovese" that's "muscular but agile." The 2020 Madonna del Piano Riserva took home 97 points, with Suckling calling it "a super-complex wine" with "energy and graceful harmony" and "velvety tannins.”
OUR TASTING NOTES: The two 2021 Brunellos have an immediate appeal that's almost startling; you expect to wait for Brunello to open up, but this duo is singing right now, and throatily at that. The Montosoli especially possesses an intensity that's almost electric, and ready to leap from the glass. The regular Brunello is best described as a wine of muscular grace: it’s powerful but never heavy, and will surprise and delight you with its sneaky agility. Then there's the Madonna del Piano 2020, a supernally smooth customer, with a texture like cashmere; it’s not light, not even close, but it’s light on its feet. Even the Rosso operates on some elevated plane where "entry-level" wines aren't supposed to exist; a wine of unexpected pleasure and charm.
THE STORY: Though founded in 1953 by Bramante Abbruzzese, making it one of Montalcino's more established producers, Valdicava truly emerged onto the world stage when grandson Vincenzo took over in 1987. The estate, located in the north of Montalcino, is blessed by perfect diurnal temperature shifts, with warmth coming from the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea and cooling breezes from surrounding woods. This ideal climate, combined with soils of clay, sand, and marl, makes for absolutely optimal conditions in which the Sangiovese is able to express its purest character. Abbruzzese ages his wines in botti made from natural Slavonian oak without toasting or charring of any kind, replacing them every 15 years to maintain pristine aging vessels. This meticulous attention to detail, from vineyard to bottle, explains why these wines have become such passionately-pursued cult objects among collectors worldwide.
WHAT TO PAIR THEM WITH: The Madonna del Piano Riserva deserves hearty, rustic fare: a bistecca alla fiorentina or a preparation of wild game with herbs. Both 2021 Brunellos pair beautifully with truffle-based dishes or aged cheeses. The Rosso, meanwhile, is the ideal pasta and pizza wine, and will turn simple weeknight meals into something memorable.
FUN FACT: Vincenzo Abbruzzese was studying engineering in Florence and nearing graduation when he heard his grandfather was stepping down … and promptly abandoned his engineering career for the vineyards where he'd worked every summer.
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2026. 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 DE, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, NC, NE, NM, NY, OK, TN, WI, and Stores 532, 533, 538, 929, 937, 938, 1403, and 1408. This offer will expire on Wednesday, March 11th, 2026.