2016 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne

Opening to a dark color and rich concentration, the Donatella Cinelli Colombini 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne (with 6,600 bottles made) shows a lot of fun character. I want to say that the wine is more modern or contemporary in style, but that's not really true. Yes, there's more fruity richness here, but the bouquet is also very vertical in intensity, lifted and bright. There's a fine spot of sweet cheery and tart apple skin. There is no heaviness. The fruit comes from a six-hectare site at a low 225 meters above sea level with medium-rich soils and lots of clay. That richness that I described evidently comes from the site, more than it does the cellar. If you enjoy a softer side to Brunello, you should seek the welcoming comfort of Prime Donne.

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne from Donatella Cinelli Colombini trades power for undeniable elegance. A vivid display of crushed black cherries, clove, nutmeg and cedar shavings creates an alluring bouquet with an autumnal feel. It’s velvety-smooth but also cool-toned and lifted, seeming to hover across the palate while showing a compact yet polished core of ripe dark fruits, wrapped in a web of saline-minerals, brisk acids and tannins. Seamless until the very end, the 2016 Prime Donne flexes its structural muscle while leaving haunting remnants of licorice, lavender and dried blackberries. It’s a showstopper.