Fuligni - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

The Fuligni Estate spreads over approximately one hundred fully cultivated hectares of land in an almost continual strip on the eastern side of Montalcino where, historically, the most authentic production of Brunello emerged. The wines, covering fourteen hectares, are primarily located in Cottimelli, at altitudes varying from 380 to 450 metres above sea level.

On the best vintage years, Fuligni selects a Brunello Riserva which is refined for five years, as per regulation, three and a half of which in wood. The grapes of Brunello Riserva generally come from our oldest vineyards, making a concentrated, long-living wine of superior quality and pleasantness. With the right storage conditions, the Brunello Riserva’s evolution can develop over several decades. Fuligni Riservas can be found in the cellars of great wine collectors and are an excellent investment thanks to the value they have earned both in market quotations and in wine auctions.

"The complexity and beauty of this wine is something else on the nose, offering perfume, cedar, dried flower, black cherry, blueberry and crushed stone. Orange peel, too. Full-bodied with incredible layers of ultra-fine tannins that give this wine horizontal depth that almost seems endless. Extremely long and lightly chewy at the end. This is one for the cellar" - 99 points James Suckling

"Fuligni’s Riserva is born in the San Giovanni vineyard at Podere Cottimelli, the estate’s original site. It is a selection of the best bunches from vines averaging 50 years of age. The 2016 is currently a brooding beast, but a remarkably handsome one at close glance. It starts with polished leather and walnut skin before disclosing hints of lavender, anise and freshly turned earth. The structure is even denser and drier than the annata, but the fruit is also sweeter and more concentrated. Finely chiselled tannins wrap around black cherry and red plum, and with an intense mineral drive this is fully charged. It will take a few more years, however, to lay bare all of its lurking intricacies." - 98 points Decanter

"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva seduces the senses as it mixes savory and sweet, the dusty rose and crushed stone aromas giving way to wild strawberry and dried cherry. A velvety textural wave saturates the palate with salty minerals and tart raspberry fruits, lifted by stunning acidity and cooling herbal tones that create a cascading feel to the crunchy red fruits. While structured and dry, it's also incredibly long, crystalline in nature, and lingers on notes of salted licorice and savory spice. This shows all of the best qualities of the vintage, expertly matched to the classic stylings of Fuligni. That said, the 2016 is a sleeping giant, in need of cellaring to show its best. Deciding between this and the estate Brunello from 2016 is like splitting hairs, but what I can say is that the Riserva has the potential for a longer life and possibly a higher score when at full maturity." - 98 points Vinous

Producer: Fuligni

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Varietal: Sangiovese

Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino

Vintage: 2016

Size: 750ml