Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

The 2016 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a monumental and harmonious expression of Sangiovese, produced only in extraordinary harvest years. Sourced from the estate's oldest vineyards in the cooler, north-westerly sector of Montalcino, this tenth-ever Riserva release reflects the exceptional quality of the 2016 vintage. It offers a deep and complex bouquet of black cherries, marasca cherry, and dried rose, seamlessly layered with sophisticated notes of lavender, cedar, and tobacco. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and powerfully structured, showcasing a rich, velvety texture balanced by a vibrant acidity and firm, polished tannins. Matured for approximately 36 months in large oak barrels and aged for six years before release, it concludes with an exceptionally long finish marked by lingering hints of spicy citrus and mineral depth.

96 Points - 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.

94 Points - 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. 

92 Points -  James Suckling

A rather refined and linear 2016 riserva with cherry, cedar, vanilla and dried-flower character. Medium body. Bright finish. Better in a year or two.