1997 Brunello di Montalcino

The Fuligni 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows balance and symmetry with plenty of primary intensity to ensure a long cellar life. The bouquet opens to dark plum, dried raspberry, spice, aniseed and grilled herb. I get a lot of Mediterranean lavender and rosemary essence. This is a mid-weight Brunello with aromas that prove elegant and buoyant. If you have visited the Fuligni estate, you may agree that it occupies one of the best positions in the appellation with open views onto the enormous expanse of the Val d'Orcia that plays out until the horizon ends. This is one of Montalcino's historic cellars with many stories to tell. Luckily for us, much of that narrative unfolds in the beauty and the elegance of a wine like this. (ML)

Lovely sweet cherries and heather with some leather and balsamic undertones. It’s full-bodied with a velvety and lightly dusty palate. Juicy fruit and pretty orange peel to the berry character. Hints of cedar and meat at the end. Subtle and complex.

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli pulls you close to the glass with a captivating display of candied citrus rinds, incense and dried roses giving way to rich cherry sauce and a hint of brown spice. It’s deeply textural yet youthfully dense, as it first cools the palate with lavender and ripe dark red fruits; yet beneath is a layer of grippy tannins that close the wine down. Notes of licorice, black tea and purple florals linger on the youthfully chewy finale. The 2016 is just a baby today, and it will need a number of years to come fully into focus - but it will be worth the wait. (EG)