2016 Azienda Agricola Le Ragnaie Brunello di Montalcino

The only new releases from Le Ragnaie fitted with a white label instead of a black one, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is the most accessible and near-term in the portfolio. This is a very elegant and perfumed expression of Sangiovese with lifted floral aromas that recall blue flower and wild rose. Beyond those delicate tones, you get cherry, cassis and other classic aromas linked to Sangiovese. This wine draws on a blend of fruit from various vineyard sites with high and low elevations. Production is 27,700 bottles.

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Le Ragnaie mixes nuances of wild herbs and stone dust with bright notions of strawberry and dried roses. It’s silky and pliant upon entry yet quickly gains tactile depths through salty mineral tones, as floral-laced red berries cascade across the palate. The symmetry here is impeccable, as is its purity of fruit, with fine tannins that result in a structured finale. That said, it should only take a few years of cellaring to bring this fully into focus. Often referred to as the “White Label,” this blends fruit from Le Ragnaie’s vineyards located throughout Montalcino to create a balanced expression of each vintage. It’s a wonderful introduction to the Le Ragnaie style.