2016 Campo Alle Noci Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany 750 ml

When we tasted Campo alle Noci’s Brunello upon release a year ago, we reserved the entire American allocation for our members—it’s THAT good.

We sold out almost immediately, and the 94-point wine has gone on to earn a member-rating that’s the second highest for any 2016 Brunello, above classic names that cost nearly twice as much. 

Campo alle Noci is a small estate with almost no online presence, which is a great thing: It means they’re not distracted by marketplace pressure that might influence them to change their winemaking techniques. Instead, they craft absolutely classic, precise, and aromatically gorgeous releases. 

Just one swirl of this ruby wine reveals classic notes of rose petal, tart red cherry, tobacco, and leather, and its added intensity and structure speak to the sensational 2016 vintage in Tuscany. Vinous called the year “radiance personified,” but I preferred how their expert Eric Guido summed up the vintage and new releases: “Do the 2016s live up to our expectations? Oh, yes; they certainly do.” Enough said.

Grown on a hillside parcel planted as high as 1500 feet at the Poggio Salvi estate in Montalcino, the wine benefits from a combination of altitude and abundant sunshine. Rooted deep in the region’s famed galestro soils, the result is a compact, concentrated wine that is elegant and structured after nearly three years of oak aging and another 18 months in bottle.  

Right now, this 2016 screams to be paired with steak or rich, tomato-laden pastas. With more time, its bold cherry tones will mellow into a spicy, herbal wine perfectly attuned to more delicate dishes like butternut squash ravioli or classic vitello saltimbocca.