Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016
Fattoria dei Barbi
Barbi’s “Blue Label” Brunello is the heart of the estate’s production and its flagship bottling. The family has been producing Brunello from this vineyard since 1892. The current label was designed by Vittorio Zani, an artist from Siena, where it was first used for the Brunello 1957 vintage.
Terroir: Sourced from the estate’s 41 hectares (100 acres) in the southeast area of Montalcino. Vineyards are planted at 5,200 plants per hectare with yields of 1.3kg per vine. Two types of soils prevail; gravel and clay soils produce wines with power, while more sandy soils heighten aromatics.
Vinification: Manual harvest occurs at the end of September followed by a pre-fermentation cold maceration (“cold-soak”), which consists of cooling the grapes at a temperature of 3°-5°C (37 – 41°F) in an anaerobic environment (under a CO2¶blanket) to protect the must from oxidation. This non-alcoholic, aqueous extraction results in an increased color intensity and stability, softer astringency and tannins and more body and aromatics. After 48 hours, the temperature is raised to 27°- 28°C and alcoholic fermentation begins, lasting 16 -17 days. After racking and malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in small-to-medium size oak barrels (225L – 15 hl) for the first months, followed by two years in larger 30HL Slavonian oak casks. The wine rests in bottle for
four months before release.
Additional Information
Brilliant ruby red with a touch of garnet. Intense aromas of ripe cherry rounded by scents of citrus and spices, wild herbs, earthy hues. On the palate, the wine is soft and balanced with delicate tannins and vibrant acidity, long persistency.
This wine is a perfect match for roasted or grilled red meats, game, venison, stewed wild boar. Excellent with mature cheeses.
Technical Details
- Appellation: Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
- Winemaker: Stefano Cinelli Colombini
- Sustainability: Sustainable Practices
- Soil: Stone, clay, sand
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Ttl Acidity: 5.4 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/l
- Avg Production: 96,000 bottles
- Sizes Available: 750ml, 1.5L, 3L
- Pack Size: 6/750ml, 12/750ml, 1/1.5L, 1/3L
- Varietals: 100% Sangiovese Grosso
Recent Press
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The Wine Advocate Author: Monica Larner
Date: Monday, November 30, 2020"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a delicate and graceful wine. It shows the precision, linearity and power of the vintage for sure, but it also delivers floral tones, bright raspberry, toasted almond and a playful touch of medicinal herb that shape a careful and contemplative bouquet. Those bright aromatic nuances are followed by silky tannins and softly finessed fruit flavors. With an ample 160,000 bottles made, this is a solid go-to Brunello, especially if you are looking for a bottle with a relatively accessible drinking window. There is a little something special that pulls at my heartstrings each year when I taste the wines of Fattoria dei Barbi. It's connected to the realization that I am tasting a creation made by one of the region's oldest estates and the respect I feel for the family that has carried forth this proud agricultural tradition with such care. This estate is located at the heart of the appellation on the "collina" (or hill) where Brunello was born."Grade: 94+ points -
Score: 94 Points
The Wine Advocate Author: Monica Larner
Date: Monday, November 30, 2020"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a delicate and graceful wine. It shows the precision, linearity and power of the vintage for sure, but it also delivers floral tones, bright raspberry, toasted almond and a playful touch of medicinal herb that shape a careful and contemplative bouquet. Those bright aromatic nuances are followed by silky tannins and softly finessed fruit flavors. With an ample 160,000 bottles made, this is a solid go-to Brunello, especially if you are looking for a bottle with a relatively accessible drinking window. There is a little something special that pulls at my heartstrings each year when I taste the wines of Fattoria dei Barbi. It's connected to the realization that I am tasting a creation made by one of the region's oldest estates and the respect I feel for the family that has carried forth this proud agricultural tradition with such care. This estate is located at the heart of the appellation on the "collina" (or hill) where Brunello was born."
