Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Marrucheto 2016

This is a new wine from Castello Banfi that I can say, with a certain amount of pride, I witnessed come to life. For a few years, I have enjoyed parcel-by-parcel tastings with the winemaking team at Castello Banfi, and little did I know back then that this special vineyard was being singled out for its own bottling. The soils have layers of lime and fine sand in some spots, with rocky clay in others. The introduction of the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Marrucheto is big news for this estate, as it represents a shift toward vineyard mapping and micro vinifications that is quickly becoming part of the definition of a modern Brunello. Castello Banfi has been ahead of the curve on these fronts for many years. This new wine shows depth and power, yet it holds back so as never to be overpowering. The dark fruit is most certainly characterized by darkness and savory concentration, and there are plentiful notes of leather, tar and aniseed. What stands out here is the balanced intensity of the fruit that feels pure, linear and direct. That intensity is taken down a notch in the palate, where the wine is given more opportunity to show a more elegant side. For its inaugural vintage, Vigna Marrucheto is born under that lucky 2016 star. With 13,000 bottles made, this wine won't be released until September 2021 (and is not yet priced). Castello Banfi delivers one of the finest sets of wines that I have yet tasted from this American-owned benchmark estate. In addition to these new releases (from both 2015 and 2016), it's my pleasure to recommend a new wine, the single-vineyard Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Marrucheto that steals the show.

Score: 96

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2024-2044 30 November 2020