2016 La Magia Brunello di Montalcino
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Tasting notes
Fermentation in stainless steel and large oak casks. Total skin maceration of 40 days. Aged in French tonneaux of which one-third was new and two-thirds second passage. Lustrous mid ruby. Garden herbs, minerally notes and brooding. Compact, pure and concentrated cherry fruit with bags of chewy tannins. Great length and bite. (WS)
Critic scores
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Expressive aromatics of lavender, fresh black raspberry, and sweet Mediterranean herbs are found in the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino. The palate is ripe and inviting, with black cherry, cola, and baked earth. It is open and generous, with a round structure and soft, supple tannins. Approachable now or enjoy over the next ten years. La Magia is located above Sant’Antimo in the Val d’Orcia, where Fabien Schwarz runs the family estate that was founded by his father in 1970. They are certified in biodynamic farming and their cellar has been fully energy self-sufficient since 2008.
The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from La Magia keeps you coming back to the glass, displaying musky cherries dusted in shavings of cedar and pine, with hints of candied orange in the mix. It’s silky in feel with sweet red fruits and spices further accentuated by vibrant acids. Fine tannins come forward through the close; yet energy remains high, as this fruit-forward and seductive Brunello tapers off to hints of cinnamon and clove.