Tenuta Le Potazzine

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

2010

Vintage

Varietal

Sangiovese

ABV

Peak 2020-2028

Where it is, June 2026

At Peak: in the heart of its drinking window (2020-2028).

In 2026, the 2010 Le Potazzine Brunello sits at the late end of its projected peak window, which runs 2020-2028. Wine Spectator gave the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino vintage a Classic 98, calling it a product of "perfect late summer weather" that yielded "fresh, elegant, balanced and structured" Sangiovese. At sixteen years from harvest, this wine has developed the tertiary complexity - licorice, tar, dried fruit, silky integrated tannins - that marks Brunello at its most evolved and pleasurable. Collectors should open now through 2028, after which the trajectory curves toward gradual decline. No need to delay: this is Brunello drinking at its most expressive.

Related vintages

The ‘10 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.

Tenuta Le Potazzine's 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is a perfumed, elegant expression from one of Montalcino's landmark vintages - sitting at or just past its peak but still offering superb drinking.

Drinking window

The arcYou are here · at peak, 2026

Tasting note

A luminous, translucent ruby-garnet in the glass, the color of mature Sangiovese. The nose is perfumed and lifted: pressed violet, dried rose petal, and orange zest lead before giving way to wild red cherry, fennel frond, and a delicate forest floor earthiness. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with a silky, integrated texture that signals full maturity: the once-angular Brunello tannins have softened into a seamless, long structure. Baking spice and anise carry through the mid-palate; the finish is long and fragrant, with a mineral freshness that keeps the wine alive and inviting. Classic Le Potazzine elegance.

The 2010 vintage

The 2010 growing season in Brunello di Montalcino is considered one of the finest in recent memory for the appellation. After a wet spring that built water reserves in Montalcino's hillside soils, the summer turned dry and warm, with perfect late-season temperatures in September and October extending the Sangiovese Grosso ripening window without heat stress. Wine Spectator awarded a Classic 98, noting "ideal ripening for Sangiovese; wines are fresh, elegant, balanced and structured, with ample ripe fruit flavors." The appellation's wine consortium has consistently cited 2010 alongside 2004, 2006, and 2015 as defining modern vintages for Brunello.

About Tenuta Le Potazzine

Tenuta Le Potazzine is a small, family-operated estate in the southern quadrant of Montalcino, the zone associated with fuller, more aromatic expressions of Brunello. Owner and winemaker Gigliola Giannetti tends fewer than five hectares of Sangiovese Grosso with an emphasis on traditional methods: long maceration periods, aging in large Slavonian oak casks, and minimal intervention. The estate produces only a few thousand cases annually, and the Brunello di Montalcino is its flagship bottling - a wine that consistently delivers Montalcino's fragrant southern character with excellent structural backbone.

From the cellar: pair with

Wild boar with juniper and rosemary

The wine's silky, mature tannins and dried cherry fruit are a natural match for the gamey richness of wild boar; the wine's fragrant herbal notes echo the rosemary and juniper.

Bistecca with aged Parmigiano

Brunello's bright acidity and anise-tinged mid-palate lift the richness of a Florentine-style steak, while the wine's mature tannins integrate with the fat without astringency.

Porcini mushroom pasta in brown butter

The wine's forest floor earthiness and violet perfume harmonize with the umami depth of dried porcini, while its acidity cuts through brown butter's richness.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 62-65°F (17-18°C)
Decanting: In 2026, the 2010 Le Potazzine Brunello is mature and should be decanted 45-60 minutes. The wine's silky tannins and aromatic complexity need gentle aeration to fully express without the risk of the fruit fading from overexposure in the glass.
Cellar Storage: 55°F (13°C), 65-70% humidity, bottle on its side.

Track this bottle Read the Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy guide

The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.

Frequently Asked

Is the 2010 Le Potazzine Brunello ready to drink in 2026?

Yes — this is an ideal time to open it. The wine is within its peak window of 2020-2028 and has developed the silky, tertiary complexity that makes mature Brunello so compelling. The 2010 vintage's exceptional structure means the wine will remain enjoyable through 2028, but 2026 is solidly in the prime window.

How does the 2010 vintage rank for Brunello di Montalcino?

Wine Spectator rated the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino a Classic 98 — among the highest scores for the appellation in modern memory. The vintage is widely regarded alongside 2004 and 2015 as one of the defining recent Brunello years, producing wines of exceptional balance, freshness, and aging potential.

How long should I decant this Brunello?

Decant 45-60 minutes. The 2010 is mature and integrated, so it needs less aeration than a younger Brunello, but the aromatic complexity benefits from a gentle open before serving. A large, tulip-shaped glass works well.

What does Le Potazzine's style bring to this Brunello?

Le Potazzine's southern Montalcino terroir and traditional large-oak aging produces Brunello with a particularly fragrant, perfumed character — violet, orange zest, and dried flower notes feature more prominently than in the more structured northern producers. The 2010 combines this aromatic richness with the vintage's excellent natural structure.