Perfumed, focused and loaded with energy, this radiant red boasts enticing scents of iris, rose, crushed mint and wild berry. Boasting ethereal elegance as well as intensity and flavor, the chiseled palate has great fruit purity, delivering juicy red cherry, spiced cranberry, star anise and white pepper. Noble tannins and bright acidity provide balance and an ageworthy framework. Drink 2024– 2046.  Cellar Selection.

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is highly aromatic with tart cherry fruit, medicinal herbs, dried roses and cedar. The palate is ripe upfront with sweet raspberry, fresh blood orange, and saline minerality with energetic acidity, and fine-grained tannins. The 2016 is vibrant and transparent with classic elegance. Hold for 3-5 years and drink 2025-2036.

Out of the gate, the Il Marroneto 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows exciting purity and red fruit intensity. Compared to the Madonna delle Grazie, this wine has an ever-more lifted quality to the bouquet, whereas the Madonna has a firmer underlying texture that bodes well for longer aging. The character here is fresh, lively, youthful and vibrant. In fact, I would recommend drinking this wine while all those elements are still intact. The bouquet is crazy fun to describe: I get whiffs of black cherry, macchia mediterranea (which is not too different from what we call chaparral in California), peppercorn, dried cranberry and even a whiff of something that reminded me of the delicious rosemary herb mix you stuff inside roast porchetta. The base of the wine is light, almost weightless, but its structure and firmness do eventually catch up on the long finish.

Owner and winemaker Alessandro Mori calls himself a naturalista. His wines ferment spontaneously with indigenous years and see long ageing in large old oak casks. He allows the natural temperatures of the cellar to guide the wine’s refinement and uses minimal sulphur throughout. Along with all of its signature floral fragrances of rose and violet, ll Marroneto’s 2016 is positively spicy with a peppery, juniper snap. It sits lightly on the palate while delivering profound flavour and length. Clean and bright, distinct notes of rosehip and raspberry ring out while refined tannins sneak up with textured chalkiness.