Showing extraordinary balance, precision and depth, a total of 76 wines from Tuscany’s Brunello di Montalcino were awarded a medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 – more than any other year in the competition’s history.
All from the latest vintage releases, the top 25% received 95+ points, securing a Gold, Platinum or Best in Show medal.
As the expert DWWA judges’ tasting notes attest, the exceptional 2016 vintage offers refined, ageworthy, full-bodied Brunellos while the Riservas from 2015 showcase plentiful fruit, ripe tannins, opulent textures and drinkability now, with structure to age.
Scroll down to see the top-scoring Brunello di Montalcino wines and tasting notes from DWWA 2021
Of particular note, Riservas were up 63% on their medal count, as compared to the 2020 competition. DWWA Co-Chair Andrew Jefford commented: ‘When you taste wine that really has finesse, that has poise, that has elegance, that has concentration, within cultural contexts, then you know you’ve got a Gold medal wine on your hands, and sometimes it’s absolutely terrific to discover that.’
Below, discover the top-scoring Brunello di Montalcino wines from the 2021 competition, with plenty more to be discovered on the DWWA results site here.
Brilliant Brunello: Top-scoring wines from the Decanter World Wine Awards
Best in Show
Castiglion del Bosco 2016
97 Best in Show
£31.67 (ib)-£62.50 Ellis Wharton, Fareham Wine Cellar, Goedhuis & Co, Grand Vin, Handford, Harvey Nichols, L’Assemblage, Noble Green, Petersham Cellar, T Wright Wine, The Stroud Wine Co, WoodWinters
We were lucky enough to have a splendid entry from Brunello di Montalcino this year. Much effort went into finding a worthy candidate for our Best In Show collection, and here it is. Translucent black-red in colour, shading to a glowing garnet rim, with refined, artfully composed scents of subdued berry fruits, warm summer forest, dried mushrooms and soft suede. The wine is intense, deep, perfectly pitched in structural terms: a dignified, grave yet rewarding wine for a fine dinner. It is fully accessible now, yet the quality of its fruit and its balance suggest many years’ ageing potential, too. Alc 14%
Brunello di Montalcino
Argiano 2016
97 Platinum £30
(ib)-£47.80 Bordeaux Index, Bottle Apostle, Chester Beer & Wine, Christopher Keiller, Cru, Goedhuis & Co, Hedonism, Mill Hill Wines, Millésima, NY Wines, The Good Wine Shop, Thorman Hunt
Exuberant strawberry, black cherry, hazelnut, orange peel and tobacco. Perfect ripeness on the palate. Alc 14%
I Vini di Milena 2016
97 Platinum
N/A UK mbluxurywines.com
Super-refined, focused nose displaying lovely aromas of red apples, sour cherries and oriental spices framed by cedar, smoke and coffee nuances. Beautifully balanced and poised on the palate with resolved tannins, and long. Alc 14.5%
La Togata, Jacopus 2016
97 Platinum
£45 Davy’s
Delightful nose of mahogany, terracotta, dried cherry, strawberry and rose, moving into a seamless palate with precision and linearity, but no shortage of intensity. Some subtle oriental spices on the finish. Alc 14%
Lisini 2016
97 Platinum
£36.67-£50 (ib) Christopher Keiller, Cru, Farr Vintners, Goedhuis & Co, L’Assemblage, Seckford Wines, Starling Wines, Wineye
Powerful, creamy, succulent with oak in proportion to the ripe red fruits. Palate is plush with plenty of tannin. Alc 14.5%
Mastrojanni, Vigna Loreto 2016
97 Platinum
£90-£110 Handford, Honest Grapes, Huntsworth Wine, Nysa Wine & Spirits, Petersham Cellar, The Holland Park Wine Co, WoodWinters
Complex, powerful. Bay leaf and rosemary, liquorice, fennel and robust red plum with dried tomato. Ripe and leathery. Alc 14.5%
Pinino, Cupio 2016
97 Platinum
N/A UK pinino.eu
Elegant and refined nose, classy aromas of orange peel, dark chocolate, cinnamon, tobacco and black truffles. Pure, with rich rounded tannins and a dense palate with a spicy finish. Alc 14%
Collosorbo 2016
96 Gold
POA Winetraders UK
Intense , complex nose showing black cherries, cinnamon and dried red roses over hay and spicy undertones. Full-bodied, exuberant palate, with freshness and firm structure. Alc 14.5%
Il Poggione 2016
96 Gold
£23.34 (ib)-£41.95 Exel, Farr Vintners, Grand Vin, Marlo, Morrisons, NY Wines, Petersham Cellar, Seckford Wines, The Great Wine Co, The Secret Cellar, Uncorked, Vinvm, Wine Direct
Fresh minty nose with notes of Morello cherries, clove and leather, hints of pencil shavings. Crunchy acidity on the palate with a very long finish. Alc 14.5%
Rabissi 2016
96 Gold
N/A UK @aziendarabissi
Complex and expressive nose of Morello cherries, dates, tomatoes with floral notes and earthy undertones. Firm structure with remarkable elegance and plenty of juicy fruit. Alc 14%
La Togata, Carillon 2016
95 Gold
£45 Davy’s
Some overt oak, but it integrates nicely with the fruit to give an impression of plummy meatiness. The palate is fine, chewy with vibrant acidity. Alc 14%
Pinino, Vigna Pinino 2016
95 Gold
N/A UK pinino.eu
Lovely peppery, hedgerow fruit, lush tangerine and creamy strawberry aromas framed by coffee notes. Focused on the palate, lively with a long finish. Alc 14%
Ridolfi 2016
95 Gold
£41.85 Independent Wine
Spicy nose displaying hints of paprika, salami and dried strawberry with peppery notes and cocoa nuances. Savoury on the palate with a long tasty finish. Alc 14%
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Padelletti 2015
97 Platinum
£94.95 Lea & Sandeman
Very elegant nose displaying fresh floral aromas with some lemon and red cherry notes over savoury nuances of mushrooms, tobacco and cedarwood. It flows across the palate with silky grace. Alc 14.5%
Frescobaldi, Ripe al Convento di Castelgiocondo 2015
96 Gold
£57-£64 (ib) Hallgarten Wine, Ideal Wine Co, Shelved Wine, Starling Wines, Vinvm, Wineye
Dried strawberry, tomato, finocchiona and balsamic hints on the nose develop into a precise and concentrated palate of great intensity and structural clarity. Alc 15%
Máté 2015
96 Gold
£70 Berry Bros & Rudd
Earthy and mature nose with notes of black truffles, cedar and forest floor over black cherries and strawberry. Lively acidity on the palate, full-bodied. Alc 15%
Corte Pavone, Anemone al Sole 2015
95 Gold
N/A UK loacker.bio
Classic red forest fruit, vanilla and marrow with savoury forest floor, leather and hints of cinnamon notes on the nose. Huge, dense, layered black-fruit palate. Alc 14.5%
Tenuta di Sesta, Duelecci Ovest 2015
95 Gold
£65 Mondial Wine
An expressive nose shows mature aromas of prunes and apricots with dried nuts, Mediterranean herbs, crushed stones and sweet leather. Lively and vibrant, mineral palate. Alc 14.5%
Tenuta La Fuga, Le Due Sorelle 2015
95 Gold
POA Vinissimo
Lovely ripe, jammy fruit on the nose with camomile and mocha nuances and touches of Earl Grey tea. Mature, concentrated yet elegant and balanced. Alc 14.5%
