Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino 'Madonna delle Grazie' DOCG 2016

There it is: that Il Marroneto magic. To my palate, Alessandro Mori's 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie best captures the soaring spirit and ambition of Brunello, made in its purest and most naked form. This vintage is a twin sibling to the 2010 one that I awarded a perfect score. Whereas that wine surprised me, appearing with so much unexpected radiance and brilliance, this wine won me over in a more careful, less emotional and more contemplative manner. Having now tasted the 2010 vintage multiple times, I better know what to expect in terms of the near-term aging evolution of the 2016. I know that the laser-sharp purity of the fruit will soften, leading to more nuanced and finessed tones of underbrush, lilac, iron ore and candied orange peel over the next five years. This wine unfolds to show deep complexity up front with buoyant and jovial red fruit at its core. It vibrates with electric energy and charm.