Brunello di Montalcino, 2018, by Castello Romitorio, 94 Pts Wine Spectator – Magnum in a Wooden Box

Magnum in Wooden Box 

The Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino is our flagship wine and reflects more than 30 years of working in harmony with nature within the terroir of Montalcino. There is something heady and invigorating about this: a lifted nose of oak and fruit with notions of Marasca cherry, violet, and pomegranate. Earthy hints appear, too, as do nuances of sage and soy with increasing age.

The body has densely woven, firm but fine tannins, according the wine a great structure; a skeleton upon which fruit, oak, and aroma can express themselves fully.
The wine unfolds slowly in the glass, becomes more sinuous and sensuous with air while the gentle astringency of the tannins is very moreish. Bottle age brings welcome tertiary notes of leather and herb, both grip and aroma are long-lasting. This is impressive upon release but even more true to itself with advancing age.

95 Points, Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “The Castello Romitorio 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a classic expression of the vintage, showing lots of ripe fruit, crushed mineral, herbal nuances, and varietal-driven purity. This wine nails that sweet spot between elegance and power that is not easily achieved. It offers an expanded array of Sangiovese flavors with wild cherry, forest floor, crushed clove, and medicinal herb, but it also shows plump density and a velvety texture. Filippo Chia and his team have created a sold wine for medium or long-term drinking. ” 

Wine Spectator Rating and Price June 2023 Issue