Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015

A preview tasting of the 2015 Riserva demonstrated how it was an excellent year but with a warmer style and more aggressive tannins.

These Brunello were also very good but with a warmer style and more aggressive tannins than the vintage 2016 wines. The improvement of the Riserva wines over the vintage Brunello was very interesting and while the observation may seem obvious, this was not always the case up until ten or so years ago. This is also a further confirmation of the technical aptitude Montalcino producers have achieved.

But it is the concept of a Riserva that has changed in Montalcino: it is no longer a wine from a particular barrel but a selection of grapes from one or more vineyards that are utilized to produce a reserve wine with the grapes and fermentation process geared to this end. While this may also seem obvious, it is a feat, finally a shared one, achieved over the past 15 years with the Riserva reaching the market in the sixth year after harvest.

Some Riserva have also come from the southern zone, at times disguised as a vineyard selection, which are very interesting despite the problems of excessive summer heat in that area. In general, the reserves did not have the edginess in regard to both the aroma, which I’m happy about, and the excessive tannins present, especially from the hotter areas, found in some of the vintage Brunello, evidence of superior raw materials.

We can thus confirm the absolute goodness of these Riserva so appertaining to the year and the territory. Are they perhaps a tad aggressive and muscular? If you are looking for great elegance and drinkability then don’t look for it in Montalcino in a hot year.

At the end of this analysis of Montalcino, we specify that we preferred to give space to more than one winery, avoiding to report of the same producer more than one wine.

The following are the 15 Riserva which we liked the most with their relative ratings.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015

• Casanova di Neri, Cerretalto*                     99
• Corte Pavone, Anemone al Sole                98
• Castiglion del Bosco, 1100                         98
• Biondi Santi**                                              97
• Castelgiocondo, Ripe al Convento             97
• Ciacci Piccolomini, Santa Caterina d'Oro   97
• Pietroso                                                      97
• Camigliano, Gualto                                     96
• Fanti                                                            96
• Tassi, Franci                                               96
• Carpineto                                                    95
• Cortonesi La Mannella                               95
• Rodolfo Cosimi, TerraRossa                      95
• Terrenere                                                   95
• Uccelliera                                                   95

*a cru, not a Riserva

**posticipated vintage and not a Riserva

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