2016 Renieri Brunello

2016 Renieri Brunello

2016 Renieri Brunello The 2016 Renieri Brunello di Montalcino opens with earthy aromas of bark, sand, truffles, graphite, rust, terracotta and sandalwood. Fruitier orange zest and lemon. Ripe, incense and with dense forest of aromas. Rich to the center palate, the fruit is vivacious and elegant. Robust and generous tannins. The finish is long, the after effects of the acidity unworldly. This is a very tight, refined Brunello that shows so much beautiful fruit and polish with dark-berry, cedar, walnut and cherry character. It’s full-bodied with layers of fine tannins and a fresh, pretty finish.

I have found a tiny stash of the spectacular 2016 Renieri Brunello to offer. 2016 is one of the greatest vintages ever for Brunello. The 2016’s are a must! Galloni comments; “I frankly cannot remember the last time I tasted young wines from Montalcino that possessed such symmetry from start to finish.” While the wines are beautiful young, they were built for the cellar and I would definitely lay some down. Parker’s WA comments, “Brunello from 2016 are poised for long-term success, they will undoubtedly be remembered as important highlights on a long timeline of vintages. These are career-defining wines for many estates and for the appellation as a whole.” Parker’s WA gave the vintage 98pts the highest he has ever given a Brunello vintage.

Tenuta Renieri is owned by Marco Bacci who is also one of the finest Winemakers in Tuscany. Robert Parker commented on Bacci, “Marco Bacci has released some of the finest wines ever made from his Montalcino property, Renieri. This Tuscan all-rounder (with properties in Chianti Classico and coastal Tuscany) demonstrates a profound understanding and ability in winemaking vintage after vintage.”
Renieri is famous for his Brunellos. His wines gets huge press from the worlds leading wine critics. The 2010 Renieri Brunello di Montalcino scored 100 pts., was named #3 Top 100 Wines in the World, additionally their 2012 scored 95 pts. and was featured in the Top 25 Brunellos of 2012 by James Suckling.  Located on the northeast quadrant of Montalcino, facing Mt. Amiata we find Tenuta Renieri. This is a stunning and beautiful winery owned by the Bacci Family. It is well-known by wine lovers that the best vineyards in Montalcino are located here. Renieri’s  vineyards neighbor those of Biondi Santi, Cantina La Serena, Casanova di Neri and Azienda La Rasina;all located within a 2 mile radius. The Renieri’s dates back to the 1700s, while the winery, which extends over about 1000 square metres is almost entirely below ground. The single fallen tree on the label serves as a reminder of a tornado that ripped through Montalcino in 2002. Marco Bacci (Owner & Winemaker) focuses on quality rather than quantity. His vineyards’ yields are dangerously low, producing a mere 1 kg per vine, which is equivalent to 1 bottle of wine. The vines were planted in the 1990’s and have a south/southeast exposure. Soils at Renieri estate are predominately volcanic, with calcareous soils and red clay and tuffs.