Winemaker Notes
Red with good depth and intensity. Rim, denoting ageing, tends to terracotta incolor, then garnet. Very intense fragrances, expanded by a reducing ageingprocess which amplifies the hints of tobacco and lavender, typical of a primeSangiovese. Soft and rich at the start with very good structure, generous andlingering, very persistent finish. Aromas are also fully expressed in the mouth withthe presence of balanced wood exalting the aromatics of the variety.
Its elevated structure makes this wine ideal for the best game dishes, aromatic and rich in flavors. Also well suited for aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is noted by aromas of ripe red fruits, confected raspberry, gamey iron-rich earth, and sweet herbs. The palate is fresh and sunny, with tomato leaf savor, fine tannins, and lively acidity. For my taste, this is perfect for fresh, relatively early drinking, though it will not reach maturity for several years. Drink 2021-2030.
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Wine Enthusiast
This opens with aromas recalling black-skinned fruit, Mediterranean scrub and tobacco. The savory palate offers dried black cherry, licorice and ground pepper alongside polished tannins. Drink 2023–2031.
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.