Winemaker Notes
The wine shows a ruby and bright red color, the nose has an intense bouquet of cherry and pulpy, ripe plum embellished with spicy touches, earthy and mineral nuances and intriguing notes of undergrowth. On the palate the noble tannic texture of Sangiovese stretches tight and impressive but also velvety, balanced by acidity and juicy freshness that confers elegance and long persistence.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Brunello’s aromatics of strawberry candy, fresh cranberry and pomegranate are forward on the palate with savory and bitter herbs. It is structured, with grippy tannins and nervy acidity. Drink 2021-2031.
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James Suckling
Lots of savory tones to this with aromas of mushrooms, beetroot and dried leaves. Intensely flavorful with a unique umami quality. Olives and porcini mushrooms. This is full-to medium-bodied with chewy tannins. A little lean at the end now, but the tannins will soften nicely. Racy. Drink after 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Mastrojanni 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is dark and velvety in appearance, boasting rich fruit concentration. The bouquet shows dried cherry, blackberry, spice, leather, tar and all the good things you get when Brunello lives a trouble-free childhood in the winery. I recall the 2015 vintage showing enhanced density and richness, and this wine unfolds in a very similar manner. Perhaps the difference between the two vintages is more clearly enunciated in terms of mouthfeel. This 2016 vintage gives the impression of being more linear, tight and structured. Elegant mineral tones define the long and polished finish of this 55,000-bottle release.
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Wine Enthusiast
Earthy aromas of underbrush, wild herb and rose mingle with woodland berry and toasted nut on this full-bodied red. Combining finesse, structure and concentration, the smooth palate doles out ripe morello cherry, licorice and bitter almond alongside a backbone of firm but refined tannins. Drink 2024–2036.
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Wine Spectator
The core of cherry and plum flavors is framed by tar, earth and tobacco in this robust red, whose ripe fruit stands up easily to the foundation of drying, dusty tannins. Fruit, earth and iron accents converge on the finish. Put this away for a few years. Best from 2025 through 2048.
Mastrojanni has been writing history with its wines since 1975, collecting awards from all over the world. Today, thanks to an exceptional terroir and men who have believed in it for decades, Mastrojanni has become one of the most respected Montalcino producers. The Mastrojanni winery lies in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in the south eastern most corner of Montalcino Municipality, in the Province of Siena. An artistic and architectural heritage, surrounded by the majesty of its natural landscapes and, above all, an area particularly suitable for vine cultivation: the homeland of Brunello. A strong identity, coherence and consistency in quality: these are the values that Mastrojanni has created and cultivated over the years and which enabled the company to stand out among its peers, with its original and high-quality profile. These values are the result of a passionate, proud and respectful interpretation of nature, tradition and history of the territory.
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.