“A classic from the first tilt of the glass, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino wows the senses with a pleasantly old-school bouquet of leather, earth tones, dried flowers, crushed cherries, sage and clove. This mixes radiant dark red fruits with sweet spices and salty mineral tones to create a display of contrasts, all over a silky textural wave that’s guided by vibrant acidity. Youthfully tense yet spicy with an orange flourish and amazingly fresh, the 2016 finishes with a tart tinge of youthful tension and fine-grained tannins that will require patience to resolve. This is, without a doubt, one of the vintage’s top wines. The 2016 is total class.”