2016 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Tuscany 750 ml

Fuligni’s 2016 Brunello is a true star among stars. From the mountains of critical praise penned about the history-making 2016s, this “chiseled, elegant,” 99-point masterpiece arose as one of Wine Enthusiast’s top five Brunellos of the vintage—one whose depth and richness had us marveling at every sip. 

Critics across the board couldn’t help but wax poetic about it. In their 99-point review, Wine Enthusiast called this wine “superbly balanced and fresh.” Vinous piled on, awarding 98 points while celebrating the Fuligni as “simply gorgeous,” “a towering effort that will thrill collectors for years to come.” 

Those collectors are already stocking up, and here’s your chance to join in. We have just 50 cases of this highly coveted wine, and after we inevitably sell out, chances are slim that it will come back again.

It’s as if this 2016 Fuligni wrote the book on Sangiovese, with all of its components showing balance, harmony, and intensity—black cherry and raspberry, sage, and tobacco aromas that inspire repeat sips, revealing new discoveries of dark fruit, minerals, and licorice. This is a dazzling bottle from a winery that Vinous’ Antonio Galloni has called “among the top estates in Montalcino,” one “farming Sangiovese vines that grow in what is a real grand cru section.”

That unique vineyard site is the secret to Fuligni’s dominance: Their rocky soils from the Eocene era (roughly 50 million years ago) hold limited organic compounds, which translates to incredible concentration and density in the glass. 

This brutally difficult-to-work land—in “one of the best positions in the appellation,” says Wine Advocate—results in minuscule quantities of hand-picked Sangiovese that vastly and reliably over-deliver. Because their land and its contours are so unique, Fuligni’s yields are naturally restricted, meaning demand outpaces supply even in challenging vintages. 

In the near-perfect 2016 season—which Vinous called “Radiance Personified” and which earned an even higher rating from Wine Advocate than the acclaimed 2015 growing season—Maria and Roberto Fuligni’s efforts resulted in a crimson stunner that belongs in every cellar, whether for a wide-ranging collector, a dyed-in-the-wool devotee of Italian varieties, or just a lover of red wine. This is an absolute benchmark for one of the great vintages of all time, so don’t miss it.