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Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

$ 300

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$ 200

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$ 199

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Triple 97 POINT Castello Romitorio at the lowest price in the USA! The 2016 vintage has been hailed as one of Brunello’s “greatest ever” growing seasons – and a decade in has this beauty shining like never before!!! I tasted this simply iconic wine at the winery, in Montalcino last year…and I’ve been DREAMING of this beauty ever since!

Over $100 off the retail price. For a SUPREMELY limited, utterly impeccable RISERVA from one of Brunello’s best…welp, it just doesn’t happen that often, I can tell you. 2016 is a FIVE STAR, absolutely ROCKING vintage for this picture-perfect corner of Tuscany – and the brilliant, mad geniuses at Romitorio selected this savory, meaty, simply HAUNTING Brunello from a best-of-the-best selection of two barrels, one tonneau, and one cask in their cellar. And THE CELLAR!!! It’s a maze of barrels, and tanks, and priceless artwork. Statues, and sculptures, paintings, and carvings…from ancient Etruscan origins all the way to the modern Neo-Expressionist musings of this most excellent Chia family…I mean, HUZZAH! 

You simply cannot help but to be inspired. And – I’ll bet –the wine feels the pressure to live-up to its own environment! But this TRIPLE 97 POINT 2016 Riserva? In a special cellar, on a remarkable estate, that sits on some of the most exceptional grape-growing land in all the world…this 2016 TOWERS above.  

Romitorio is tucked away in their remote, forest-flanked parcel on the northwest side of Montalcino — and what Filippo Chia and his team produce here is something that transcends the category. The power. The depth. The simply chilling balance of fruit, and spice, and leather, and wild herbs…it sings with dark cherries, and new leather, porcini mushrooms, inky balsamic, and vibrant, uplifting flecks of rosemary, and smoldering sage. The roasted plums and structured graphite give this muscle and backbone for days, and every swirl brings some new sensation rushing to the top of the glass. It’s so ferociously beastly, yet so elusively elegant I can’t help but think of a snow leopard – and the scarcity of this prized creature serves only to reinforce the notion. Is it worth our unbeatable price? Without hesitation. Will it last more than a few hours? Almost certainly not. 

Epic Brunello…while it lasts!

**Romitorio Fun Fact: Filippo Chia's father, Sandro — the legendary Italian Neo-Expressionist painter who designs all of Romitorio's iconic labels — traded three of his own prized paintings for the 200 hectares of land and crumbling castle that would eventually become Castello Romitorio. One art form funding another. It doesn't get more poetic than that.**

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97 POINTS
"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva lifts up with elegance and richness, as sweet as lavender and violets give way to a more savory display of black cherries, Tuscan dust and cedar box with hints of cooling mint. This rushes the palate with sweet red fruits and spices, silky yet lifted, and displaying a delicacy not expected from the Riserva category, yet quite welcome. Beneath is a core of power and density just waiting to unfold. Minerality comes through the finale, mingling with a fine coating of tannin and hints of spicy citrus. This harmonious Burnello will have a very long life. The Riserva is a selection of two Brunello barrels, one tonneau and one large cask, from Romitorio's cellar. Simply stunning." -Vinous
97 POINTS
”This Brunello di Montalcino from Castello Romitorio is remarkable in every respect. To meet the "Brunello di Montalcino Riserva" appellation standards, a wine must be at least four years old—with a minimum of two years of barrel aging and six months in the bottle—and cannot be released to the market before six years have passed. This particular wine spent 36 months in oak barrels before bottling and subsequent release. It is a powerful—even muscular—wine, where its generous alcohol content perfectly balances an almost bracing acidity. The aromatic profile is complex and spectacular, featuring scents of cherry, plum, blueberry, licorice, and tobacco, enriched by floral, earthy, saline, and herbal notes. On the palate, the tannins are refined, while the flavors linger with magnificent length. Wow! Decant for about four hours and serve at 17°C. Sumptuous paired with osso buco, grilled lamb, venison in sauce, grilled filet mignon, beef Wellington, or grilled duck breast.” -Bacchus Magazine
97 POINTS
”Visionary and intriguing in the slightly opaque sensory matrix, alternating notes reminiscent of black tea leaves with hints of juniper, wild myrtle, marasca cherries, mandarin blossom and elderflower. Medium to full bodied, fine grain, silky tannins and a harmonic finale and balanced in the impressive length which lasts seconds on the palate and leaves a pleasant savoury, juicy presence on the lateral palate. Better from 2023.” -Raffaele Vecchione at WinesCritic.com
96 POINTS
”Castello Romitorio harvests in two stages. The first is an early selection of the smallest, loosest bunches across the oldest vineyards and fills one single tank. In years when the estate Brunello can stand alone, this is bottled separately as a Riserva. The tenth since 1987, the 2016 is wondrously earthy in its overture of clay, mineral rock and iron. It evolves into an autumnal smokiness then lands on balsamic herbs and crunchy red woodland berries. Youthful vigor and verve do not conceal intrinsic finesse. Acid crunch and dramatic mouth-caressing tannins will see this through the long haul. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2038. -Decanter
96 POINTS
”The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (with 6,300 bottles made) works beautifully to produce a lasting sense of harmony that reflects the best qualities of this classic vintage. Part of that playlist is power, and indeed this wine registers 15% alcohol, which is high, but the freshness of these vineyard sites and the wine's acidity does a good job of mitigating that power. The fruit is polished and refined in this Riserva, and there is a pretty mix of both primary and even some distant tertiary character to shape a bouquet that is pure but also complex.” -Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
96 POINTS
”The eighth Riserva produced at the estate, the 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva offers a deeper, more serious expression, with a savory, mature profile already coming into focus. The nose offers dried cherries, licorice, leather, and hints of chestnut and smoky spice, all framed in a composed, classic style. Full-bodied, it has ripe tannins, balanced acidity, and a supple texture that makes it highly satisfying today, yet it still holds enough structure to continue evolving with ease. It’s in a great place now, but there’s no need to hurry.” -Jeb Dunnuck