COL D’ORCIA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2016

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a total pleasure. I was expecting a bruiser but found a beguiling blend of spiced orange and dusty cherries complemented by a cascade of rosy florals. It’s round and pliant, showing its southern Montalcino fruit with pride, yet refined, silky and harmonious, with a core of saline minerality that adds a tactile crunch toward the close. Grippy tannins are front and center through the long and dramatic finale, as hints of licorice and a bitter tinge of blackberry seeds punctuate the finale. This is pure seduction. Drinking window: 2026-2038. (Eric Guido,vinous.com,Dec. 7, 2023)