Altesino - Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 2016

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Altesino Description

Altesino has been producing a separate bottling from the cru of Montosoli since 1975, though the vines were partially replanted in 2005 and 2016. Ageing is in 30hL casks of Slavonian oak. (Drink between 2024-2040)

Wine Spectator: 98 Points

Packed with sweet, ripe cherry, plum and raspberry fruit and framed by loamy earth and woodsy notes, this red is intense, lively and light on its feet. Balanced, with firm tannins and a salty, minerally impression on the lingering aftertaste.

Leads off with aromas of shiso leaf, juniper and orange peel, along with cherry and berry flavors. Elegant and lacy, this red is focused, with fine intensity and a long, mineral-tinged finish.—Non-blind Altesino/Caparzo Retrospective (April 2022). Best from 2028.

Jeb Dunnuck: 97 Points

Montosoli lies above the morning fog line, allowing for greater exposure to the morning sun, and was the first single vineyard designated wine in Montalcino’s history with its first vintage in 1975. The 2016 takes all the components of the estate Brunello and is amplified with concentrated raspberry coulis, sage, and rose petal. Once again, there is tremendous consistency from the nose to the palate, though here the structure is compact and will need additional time for those who shy away from grippy, building tannins. Drink over the next 20 years or more. Drink 2024-2042.Altesino’s modern history begins with Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, who purchased the estate in 2001 and at the same time purchased the Caparzo estate in the north of Montalcino. Altesino’s holdings include 50 hectares, 26 of which are reserved for Brunello production. Of their seven vineyard sites, Montosoli was the first to carry a vineyard designation in Montalcino, with its first vintage in 1975. Today they have seven vineyard sites, four in the south of the region, reaching as far as Castelnuovo dell’Abate, and three in the north. In 2006, they built a fully sustainable winery and are currently producing zero CO2 emissions. Fermentations occur in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with selected yeast before being transferred to large Slavonian oak up to 120 hl in size. The winery has two full-time winemakers, Simone Giunti and Alessandro Ciacci. Elisabetta’s children, Alessandra and Ignio (aerospace and environmental engineers, respectively) both tend the estate, with Alessandra returning in 2017. (Drink between 2024-2042)

Wine Enthusiast: 97 Points

Rose, forest berry, underbrush and new leather are some of the aromas you’ll find on this full-bodied red. From one of Montalcino’s greatest vineyard sites, the firmly structured, elegant palate is also delicious, boasting ripe black cherry, raspberry compote, tobacco and licorice set against taut, fine-grained tannins. It’s well balanced, with bright acidity. (KO)

James Suckling: 97 Points

Lovely sweet cherries and heather with some leather and balsamic undertones. It’s full-bodied with a velvety and lightly dusty palate. Juicy fruit and pretty orange peel to the berry character. Hints of cedar and meat at the end. Subtle and complex.

Vinous: 96 Points

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli pulls you close to the glass with a captivating display of candied citrus rinds, incense and dried roses giving way to rich cherry sauce and a hint of brown spice. It’s deeply textural yet youthfully dense, as it first cools the palate with lavender and ripe dark red fruits; yet beneath is a layer of grippy tannins that close the wine down. Notes of licorice, black tea and purple florals linger on the youthfully chewy finale. The 2016 is just a baby today, and it will need a number of years to come fully into focus - but it will be worth the wait. (Drink between 2025-2040)