2015 and 2016 Brunello Vintages
About the 2015 Brunello Vintage:
2015 was heralded as a "Five-Star Vintage" by wine luminaries such as Jancis Robinson, and the Montalcino winemakers we've spoken to cannot contain their excitement.
Robert Parker gave the vintage 97 points, calling it "Picture Perfect" and the Montalcino Consorzio (perhaps one of the strictest of Italy) awarded the 2015 vintage the highest official rating of 5 STARS!
“The Vintage From God?” - Vinous Media:
"By now, everyone has heard about the five-star 2015 Brunello vintage, and many of us have already taken the plunge, propelled by the excitement of wineries, the Brunello Consortium, and the press. What’s not to like?
Here too is what reviewer James Suckling had to say about the 2015 Brunelli:
"The 2015 vintage is a historical year for Brunello di Montalcino that nobody should miss. The wines show impressive precision of vivid fruit, fine tannins and freshness in acidity despite their ripeness and richness which makes them some of the most exciting in years." (article link)
More about the 2016 Brunello Vintage:
Here's what Monica Larner (Wine Advocate) had to say in her report on the potential of 2016, ahead of the traditional January 1 release date:
"This is an iconic year, with well-timed moments of crisp coolness (as opposed to the heat spikes we saw in 2015) to shape sharp and linear wines with excellent potential for cellar aging. The 2016 vintage rolls in with the same fanfare and hysteria that surrounded the classic 2010 vintage. It promises to be a well-earned success for Brunello producers."
In fact, she gave the 2016 vintage a higher score (98) than she did the "picture perfect" 2015!
James Suckling, too, pointed to the potential of the 2016 vintage in THIS article, calling it another "pair of great vintages" and saying
"I like to say that 2016 would be the greatest vintage ever for Brunello if it weren’t for the stupendous 2015."