Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016
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Robert
Parker - Decanter
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Wine
Spectator
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Winemaker Notes
Only a truly extraordinary harvest can produce the Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva D.O.C.G.: since its establishment in 1984 Romitorio has released only a handful of vintages of this wine. The 2016 is the tenth Riserva ever produced by Castello Romitorio.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva lifts up with elegance and richness, as sweet lavender and violets give way to a more savory display of black cherries, Tuscan dust and cedar box with hints of cooling mint. This rushes the palate with sweet red fruits and spices, silky yet lifted, and displaying a delicacy not expected from the Riserva category, yet quite welcome. Beneath is a core of power and density just waiting to unfold. Minerality comes through in the finale, mingling with a fine coating of tannin and hints of spicy citrus. This harmonious Brunello will have a very long life. The Riserva is a selection of two Brunello barrels, one tonneau and one large cask, from Romitorio’s cellar. Simply stunning. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2038.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (with 6,300 bottles made) works beautifully to produce a lasting sense of harmony that reflects the best qualities of this classic vintage. Part of that playlist is power, and indeed this wine registers 15% alcohol, which is high, but the freshness of these vineyard sites and the wine's acidity does a good job of mitigating that power. The fruit is polished and refined in this Riserva, and there is a pretty mix of both primary and even some distant tertiary character to shape a bouquet that is pure but also complex.
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Decanter
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 tank. In years when the estate Brunello can stand alone, this is bottled separately as a Riserva. The tenth since 1987, the 2016 is wondrously earthy in its overture of clay, mineral rock and iron. It evolves into an autumnal smokiness then lands on balsamic herbs and crunchy red woodland berries. Youthful vigor and verve do not conceal intrinsic finesse. Acid crunch and dramatic mouth-caressing tannins will see this through the long haul. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2038.
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Wine Spectator
This red is succulent and bursting with vibrant cherry, strawberry, floral and mineral aromas and flavors. Firm and lean, with terrific intensity and a long, tangy aftertaste. Harmonious enough to enjoy now, yet it should reach its peak in three to five years.
?Best from 2025
Other Vintages
2015-
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Since 1984, the Castello Romitorio winery has been committed to the study, exploration and promotion of Brunello di Montalcino wine. This has been possible thanks to the work of Italian artist Sandro Chia, and his bond with Franco Martini, a Brunello di Montalcino expert and the cellar master of Castello Romitorio. This bond now continues between Sandro’s son Filippo and Franco’s son Stefano, the next generation.
The team has an intimate knowledge of the land and an immense respect for local heritage and tradition, which allows Castello Romitorio to express the essence of Brunello di Montalcino. The agricultural practices are low impact and take into consideration the nature that surrounds us. They interact with the indigenous flora and fauna in order to capture and develop the subtle nuances that exist in both the land and the vines they have the privilege to cultivate.
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.