2016 Brunello di Montalcino

The 2016 Brunello spent 36 months in classic Slavonian oak. The lifted aromatics upon opening quickly blow off and give way to more subtle floral tones, of fresh raspberry, dried herbs, and dusty earth. The palate is crisp and linear, with fine but angular tannins, refreshing citrus-like acidity, and a long finish. The 2016 is layered and complex within its transparency. There is a lot to love with this wine for those who enjoy traditional Sangiovese with brightness and lift. Check in now and over the next 20 years. Located in the Motosoli area, just north of the town of Montalcino, the CapAnna estate is run by fourth generation winemaker Amedeo and his father, Patrizio Cencioni.

I tasted the Capanna 2016 Brunello di Montalcino side by side with the estate's 2015 Riserva and found that these two wines illustrate the vintage differences with clarity. This wine, the so-called "classic Brunello" from the slightly cooler vintage, is immediately more direct and expressive in terms of its bouquet. Aromas of cherry, earthy spice and rosemary essence are lifted and buoyant. However, the mouthfeel is surely more compact and tannic compared to the softer 2015 Riserva. What this wine lacks in texture, it delivers in terms of length and finish. It ages in Slavonian oak for 36 months and production is 42,000 bottles.

The 2016 Capanna Brunello di Montalcino is full of potential but is already so easy to like. Its bouquet is sweetly spiced and nuanced, showing dried roses which give way to a dusting of cedar and clove with crushed red berries and hints of flowery undergrowth. Silky textures envelope all that they touch in mineral-drenched cherry, propelled by zesty acids with building inner florals. That said, this is decidedly more feminine and lifted in character than I’m used to from this estate. It’s focused on purity throughout but with a balanced structure that will ensure over a decade of positive maturation.