2016 Monteverro

Monteverro always delivers excellent results, and this is more true than ever in this balanced and classic vintage. Although the 2016 Monteverro is never a terribly territory-driven wine (it's hard to place it from Capalbio, Tuscany, per se), it is a beautifully executed rendition based on a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The bouquet is rich and multidimensional with dark fruit, plum cake, sweet tobacco and sweet baking spice. It is tight and well-assembled, with lasting intensity, yet its power is ultimately reined in by an elegant personality. I tasted bottle 3,121 of 17,929 made.

The star of the lineup is the 2016 Monteverro (60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc). Deep purple-hued, with stunning notes of cassis, dried violets, and toasted spice, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, good acidity, and ripe tannins. It’s showing plenty of oak at the moment, but it has more than enough fruit. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years.

This is another incredible edition of this wine. The fruit pops straight out with pure blackberries, blackcurrants and blueberries. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the nose reveals dark herbs, citrus, iodine, crushed stones and pressed violets. The quality of the tannins blows you away, as they take you on a journey through layers of dark fruit, supported by cutting acidity and savory undertones. Very long on the refined yet chewy finish. Drink from 2025.