Argiano Vigna del Suolo Brunello di Montalcino 2016
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Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The nose is extremely complex and broad. Classic Sangiovese notes are on
display, particularly marasca cherry and flowers, but there are also scents of
orange peel, sage, and balsamic, among others. Dense, structured, and savory in
the mouth with silky, integrated tannins and a fragrant acidity. Very long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Made with vines that average 55 years old, this fragrant, single-vineyard Brunello boasts aromas of violet, menthol, wild berry and spice. Loaded with class and finesse, the delicious, full-bodied palate features Marasca cherry, raspberry compote, blood orange, licorice and a hint of coffee alongside polished, velvety tannins. A salty mineral note lingers on the finish. Drink 2024–2046.
Cellar Selection -
James Suckling
Dried cherries, oyster mushrooms, black olives and citrus oil. It’s full-bodied with sleek, ultra fine tannins and a lifted finish. Layers of sour-cherry, bark and umami notes. Burgundian sensibility with purity and intensity. Wait a few years for this to open up. Drink after 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This special single-vineyard wine comes from a 3.5-hectare site with vines 50- or 60-something years old. The Argiano 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo (with only 5,000 bottles produced) opens to warm earthy notes that evoke the name of the wine: "vineyard of the soil." The fruit comes through in a second wave with dried raspberry, cassis and dried cherry. But that theme of earthiness permeates the entire experience and is evoked in the powdery dryness of the tannins too. These traits are characteristic of cement fermentation, which this wine does complete, but also of the calcareous marl soils of the site. This is an elegant wine that most certainly needs extra bottle time to gain in depth and volume. A special collaboration with tonnellerie Taransaud was started to create the custom 10-hectoliter oval casks used to age this 5,000-bottle production.
Barrel Sample: 96+ -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Vigna del Suolo Brunello opens with luxurious and complex aromas of incense, pure black cherry fruit, fresh Mediterranean herbs, and sweet tobacco. The palate is inviting, with velvety tannins, fresh black plum, tea leaf, and baked earth. Vigna del Suolo is sourced from 55-year-old vines at an altitude of 280-310 meters above sea level and aged for 30 months in specially selected barrels. This polished but pure expression of Sangiovese is inviting and approachable. Drink or cellar for the next 15 or more years. Drink 2022-2036.
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Wine Spectator
Aromas of wild rosemary and pine lead off in this racy red, which is permeated by flavors of cherry, raspberry and mineral. Vibrant and balanced, with the resonant tannins leaving a chalky feel on the finish. Shows fine intensity and length. Best from 2024 through 2047.
Other Vintages
2018-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling - Decanter
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Jeb
Dunnuck
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James
Suckling - Decanter
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Tasting
Panel -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
After this estate was acquired by Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano, the philosophy changed whereby quality and personality became the dominant priorities. In order to achieve these goals, Sebastiano Rosa was appointed as General Manager of the Estate. Having spent six years at the University of California at Davis, a two year tenure at Chateau Lafite Rothschild and three years at Sassacaia, he brings a strong mix of experience. In addition, Dr. Giacomo Tachis, probably the most well known winemaker in Italy today, became the oenologist. His legacy includes Sassacaia, Tignanello and Solaia, to name a few. Argiano's vineyards are located in the Montalicino area where a perfect microclimate assures a super ecological system. Varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese are planted. These grapes have not traditionally been part of the Montalcino area.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.