Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 vintage report and top-scoring wines
'The best examples capture the vintage’s depth, sophistication and vitality without being weighed down or too forceful,' says Michaela Morris who recently tasted more than 40 new Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 releases.
Mother Nature was kind to Montalcino in 2016. The growing season was warm and dry with well-timed sprinkles of rain. Crucially, significant temperature differences between day and night allowed for long, slow and simultaneous ripening of sugars and polyphenols.
In the glass, the annata Brunello exhibited transparency, balance, raciness and beautifully formed tannins with ability to age.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the best Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 wines
High expectations
With all the deserved praise, the obvious assumption was that Montalcino’s producers would be unanimous in their decision to release a 2016 Riserva. Opinions, however, were clearly divided. This speaks equally to varying philosophies as it does to the diversity of the region.
For some, like Andrea Costanti, ‘2016 was a year for Riserva.’ He calls it an extremely classic vintage that has taken its time to express and continues to improve. Costanti professes a traditional vision of Riserva. ‘I have to believe in the wine’s ageability.’ His 2016 Riserva stands out for its confident and commanding character, as do those from Fuligni and Cava d’Onice.
View all 43 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 wines, plus two late releases, tasted for this report
At Castello Romitorio, Filippo Chia came out with not just one, but two noteworthy Riservas, including the inaugural Riserva bottling from the estate’s Filo di Seta parcel. ‘2016 was a slightly cooler vintage than 2015 but it has a lot of muscle,’ describes Chia. Nevertheless, he seeks to highlight Sangiovese’s ethereal character in his Riserva rather than sheer strength. Both are based on a selection of early-picked small, loose bunches. ‘We make a Riserva when there is so much generosity in the vintage that there is no need to put this back into the annata.’
When I was tasting the 2016 from barrel at Casisano in 2018, Emiliano Falsini characterised the wines as ‘less structured but with lots of freshness.’ This is borne out particularly in the estate’s Riserva, which comes from a southeast-facing site at almost 500 metres above sea level. It is more about delicacy than force.
It was precisely this character that persuaded several producers to forgo bottling a Riserva. Le Potazzine’s Gigliola Giannetti deems 2016 exceptional for its elegance. ‘We could have made a Riserva in 2016 but it would be very different from the 2015, which is more powerful.’ According to Giannetti, 2015 is more representative of the Riserva category.
Riccardo Fratton at San Polo came to a similar conclusion when tasting the 2016 during maturation. He felt that further ageing would compromise the best characteristic of the estate’s high-altitude terroir. ‘It would have been a mistake,’ he says. ‘We didn’t want to lose that beautiful freshness.’
The decision not to produce a Riserva in 2016 isn’t exclusive to estates in cooler areas. ‘We didn’t have enough quantity to produce Ugolaia as well as a Riserva,’ reports Ludovica Lisini, in Montalcino’s balmy south. Choosing the estate’s selection bottling over the Riserva is not insignificant. It hints at a general trend within the zone of producers favouring a selection from a single vineyard or lot as their top wine.
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016: Conclusions
Nonetheless, 2016 does boast plenty of Riservas. The best examples capture the vintage’s depth, sophistication and vitality without being weighed down or too forceful. They should age leisurely and gracefully for 15 to 20 years. Gianni Brunelli, Canalicchio di Sopra and Sesti are all dialled up a notch compared to their already solid annata versions. Some, like Uccelliera, La Fiorita and Col di Lamo represent a substantial step up. A handful of disappointing examples are either dried out by long ageing or look a bit tired, with the vintage’s succulence zapped out. Luckily, these are exceptions.
With the Riserva category comes higher expectations. When met, the 2016s merit the heftier price tag. Rather than overshadowing their annata counterparts, however, they provide yet another opportunity to indulge in this exceptional vintage.
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016: top wines
See Michaela’s accompanying Brunello di Montalcino 2017 report
View all Tuscany vintage reports
Canalicchio di Sopra, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Canalicchio di Sopra’s Riserva is typically crafted from the estate’s oldest plantings. In 2016, it combines two sites: Vigna Vecchia Mercatale in Canalicchio and the...
2016
Canalicchio di SopraBrunello di Montalcino
Conti Costanti, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Andrea Costanti believes resolutely that 2016 was a year to make a Riserva. His is confidently extracted by a skilled hand and demonstrates the formidable...
2016
Conti CostantiBrunello di Montalcino
Fuligni, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Fuligni’s Riserva is born in the San Giovanni vineyard at Podere Cottimelli, the estate’s original site. It is a selection of the best bunches from...
2016
FuligniBrunello di Montalcino
Gianni Brunelli, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Gianni Brunelli’s Riserva is built from the Olmo vineyard in Montalcino’s southeast. Reaching 500 metres on stony soil, this warm site is the first to...
2016
Gianni BrunelliBrunello di Montalcino
Castello Romitorio, Filo di Seta Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
The first ever Riserva from Castello Romitorio’s Filo di Seta plot, this is crafted from a handful of selected tonneaux – mostly used but a...
2016
Castello RomitorioBrunello di Montalcino
Padelletti, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
With grape growing roots in Montalcino going back to the 1500s, the Padelletti estate is currently run by Claudia Susanna Padelletti. She selects the Riserva...
2016
PadellettiBrunello di Montalcino
Poggio di Sotto, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva is usually crafted from one single 30-hectolitre Slavonian oak cask. In 2016, the estate selected two - essentially doubling production to...
2016
Poggio di SottoBrunello di Montalcino
San Polino, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
San Polino’s Riserva is crafted from a south-facing plot at 450 metres. After spontaneous fermentation and a long 60-day maceration, this sees a short passage...
2016
San PolinoBrunello di Montalcino
Sesti, Phenomena Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
The Sesti family has always preferred long ageing in large casks, even when less time in smaller barrels was fashionable. They also keep rackings and...
2016
SestiBrunello di Montalcino
Castello Romitorio, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Castello Romitorio harvests in two stages. The first is an early selection of the smallest, loosest bunches across the oldest vineyards and fills one single...
2016
Castello RomitorioBrunello di Montalcino
Il Poggione, Vigna Paganelli Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
The estate’s oldest plot, Vigna Paganelli is a 12-hectare vineyard planted in 1964. It boasts a rich diversity of old Sangiovese clones which are used...
2016
Il PoggioneBrunello di Montalcino
La Magia, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Second-generation winemaker Fabian Schwarz has been at the helm at La Magia since 2011. He prefers spontaneous fermentations with some whole berries, long macerations and...
2016
La MagiaBrunello di Montalcino
Caparzo, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Seamlessly constructed, Caparzo’s Riserva combines fruit from the estate’s original vineyard in the far north of Montalcino with La Casa on the Montosoli hill, as...
2016
CaparzoBrunello di Montalcino
Le Chiuse, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2012
Starting with the 2010 vintage, Lorenzo Magnelli waits 10 years from the harvest to release Le Chiuse’s Riserva. His goal is to present it at...
2012
Le ChiuseBrunello di Montalcino
Sesta di Sopra, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Working with consultant Paolo Vagaggini, proprietor Ettore Spina favours relatively low fermentation temperatures of between 26 to 28°C to preserve aromas. Indeed, the 2016 Riserva...
2016
Sesta di SopraBrunello di Montalcino
Talenti, Pian di Conte Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Produced from the estate’s oldest vineyards – predominantly southeast-facing plots at 400 metres – Talenti’s 2016 Riserva is all very charmingly animated on the nose....
2016
TalentiBrunello di Montalcino
Altesino, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Like its sister estate – the nearby Caparzo – Altesino boasts vineyards in different sectors of Montalcino. The Riserva blends fruit from southern vineyards near...
2016
AltesinoBrunello di Montalcino
Argiano, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Argiano’s winemaker, Bernardino Sani waited until mid-October to harvest in 2016, benefiting from the slow ripening provided by the cool autumn nights. While the Riserva...
2016
ArgianoBrunello di Montalcino
Cava d'Onice, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Cava d'Onice Riserva is a 2,000-bottle cuvée selected from the Nannetti family’s four vineyard sites. Fermented and aged in small French and Slavonian oak barrels,...
2016
Cava d'OniceBrunello di Montalcino
Franco Pacenti, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Selected from the Pacenti family’s 10 hectares of vineyards that surround the estate in the Canalicchio zone. Mellowed and attractively evolved, engaging aromas of vanilla-tinged...
2016
Franco PacentiBrunello di Montalcino
Capanna di Cencioni, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Established by the Cencioni family in 1957, Capanna now boasts 20 hectares of southeast-facing vineyards in the area of Montosoli. Selected from the oldest vines,...
2016
Capanna di CencioniBrunello di Montalcino
Castiglion del Bosco, Millecento Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Cecilia Leoneschi has been the winemaker at Castiglion del Bosco since Massimo Ferragamo purchased the estate in 2003. She has been instrumental in converting the...
2016
Castiglion del BoscoBrunello di Montalcino
La Fiorita, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
A single vineyard expression from Pian Bossolino, La Fiorita’s Riserva was picked on 10 October. It comes across as very ripe in its aromas of...
2016
La FioritaBrunello di Montalcino
Le Macioche, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
A stone’s throw from the renowned Salicutti estate, Le Macioche is a well-ventilated property with warm southeast- to southwest-facing vineyards. High altitudes are suggested by...
2016
Le MaciocheBrunello di Montalcino
Tassi di Franci Franca, Franci Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Tassi produces a Riserva from the estate’s oldest plantings. It hails from the Franci vineyard where vines are now over 40 years of age. An...
2016
Tassi di Franci FrancaBrunello di Montalcino
Uccelliera, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
Andrea Cortonesi crafts distinctly umami Brunello from various parcels at diverse altitudes and exposures in the warm reaches of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. After trying the sensuous...
2016
UccellieraBrunello di Montalcino
Biondi-Santi, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2015
The 2015 Riserva was born during the brief period between Franco Biondi Santi’s death and subsequent acquisition by luxury company EPI in 2016. Looking to...
2015
Biondi-SantiBrunello di Montalcino
