2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli

While the straight Brunello di Montalcino has a somewhat jovial and immediate feel, the 2016 Vigna Montosoli takes things to a darker and much more serious place. Black earth, minerals, tar and licorice slowly give way to crushed cherries and balsamic spice. It’s velvety and deeply textural, ushering in a compact and almost-weighty display of ripe primary fruits, yet all perfectly framed by brilliant acids which maintain balance. There’s a lovely inner sweetness here, that I can’t wait to experience once its grippy tannins resolve. The 2016 finishes on structure, further complicated by a coating of concentrated tart wild berries and hints of licorice.