Le Macioche Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

WS 96 / WA 94 / VM 94 / WE 93 pts

VM: The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva lifts up with a dusty bouquet, as cedar shavings and dried roses give way to spiced cherries and hints of sweet smoke. This is lifted and delicate in feel, with the silkiest of textures carrying a vivid mix of pure plum and strawberry fruit across the palate. Its tannins come in late, clenching the senses through the finale, as inner florals resonate over a tactile coating of salty minerals. This is totally classic, but it needs time to unwind. Nicely done

WE: Violet, camphor and mocha aromas waft out of the glass along with whiffs of baked plum. Smooth and full-bodied, the enveloping palate offers fleshy black cherry, licorice and tobacco alongside velvety tannins. It’s already drinking well but will offer several more years of pleasure. Drink through 2028. Kerin O’Keefe