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$ALTE
2016 Altesino, Brunello di Montalcino, Montosoli
Bottle size (ML)
Current price
$393
Start Your Wine Collection with 2016 Altesino, Brunello di Montalcino, Montosoli
Begin your portfolio with a prestigious wine that has a history of growth.- Enjoy fully managed, secure storage facilities with insurance coverage.
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Critics Scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Montosoli lies above the morning fog line, allowing for greater exposure to the morning sun, and was the first single vineyard designated wine in Montalcino’s history with its first vintage in 1975. The 2016 takes all the components of the estate Brunello and is amplified with concentrated raspberry coulis, sage, and rose petal. Once again, there is tremendous consistency from the nose to the palate, though here the structure is compact and will need additional time for those who shy away from grippy, building tannins. Drink over the next 20 years or more. Drink 2024-2042.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Altesino 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli (with 15,000 bottles produced) is a true beauty. The wine reveals dark fruit intensity that comes forth as blackberry, plum and summer cherry. In no time, those aromas shift to the savory side of the spectrum with smoke, tar and tobacco. The results are generous and layered, offering the best of what the celebrated Montosoli cru can offer, especially in an ironic vintage such as this.
Decanter
Altesino has been producing a separate bottling from the cru of Montosoli since 1975, though the vines were partially replanted in 2005 and 2016. If Altesino’s estate Brunello is almost accessible already, the polished yet intense Montosoli needs time in the cellar to demonstrate its potential. The nose is discreet with violet, bramble and bay leaf taking on earthy, savoury tones as it sits in the glass. Tight and firmly fastened, the palate fuses stony notes of granite with dark cherry. Ageing is in 30hL casks of Slavonian oak.
Wine Enthusiast
Rose, forest berry, underbrush and new leather are some of the aromas you’ll find on this full-bodied red. From one of Montalcino’s greatest vineyard sites, the firmly structured, elegant palate is also delicious, boasting ripe black cherry, raspberry compote, tobacco and licorice set against taut, fine-grained tannins. It’s well balanced, with bright acidity. Drink 2024–2036.
James Suckling
Lovely sweet cherries and heather with some leather and balsamic undertones. It’s full-bodied with a velvety and lightly dusty palate. Juicy fruit and pretty orange peel to the berry character. Hints of cedar and meat at the end. Subtle and complex. Drink after 2025.
Wine Spectator
Packed with sweet, ripe cherry, plum and raspberry fruit and framed by loamy earth and woodsy notes, this red is intense, lively and light on its feet. Balanced, with firm tannins and a salty, minerally impression on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2024 through 2045.
Region Summary
Tuscany is one of the most iconic and prolific wine regions. It’s home to celebrated newcomers like Super Tuscans, as well as revered sub-regions steeped in centuries of tradition like Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. The wide selection of age-worthy wines combined with affordable entry prices and strong historical performance makes Tuscany the rare region with something for everyone.
Why We're Investing
Tuscany is an embarrassment of riches. The idyllic Mediterranean climate plays host to many of Italy’s more than 350 authorized grapes. That includes native varieties like sangiovese as well as international staples like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah. The inherent diversity gives local winemakers the ultimate viticultural sandbox. The best example of Italian innovation is the Super Tuscan. First released in the 1970s, the red wine blends native grapes with international ones unsanctioned by the Italian legal system. Eventually, this style became so popular that lawmakers yielded and gave Super Tuscans their own designation. Today, Super Tuscans, such as Sassicaia, Solaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello, rank among the most sought-after wines on the secondary market. Tuscany is far from a one-trick pony, though. Brunello di Montalcino has an ever-expanding global audience. With the success of the 2015 and 2016 vintages, estates like Biondi Santi, Casanova di Neri, and Poggio di Sotto have become household names. Meanwhile, Chianti has undergone its own renaissance. In 2011, it had zero labels traded on the secondary market. Today, buyers have dozens of Chianti options such as Castello di Ama and Fontodi. Critics have taken notice of Tuscany, too. James Suckling called Masseto his Winery of the Decade, with its pure merlot heralded as “the Petrus of Tuscany.” That’s not all. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has given Italian wines more perfect scores than all but three countries. The positive reviews are a good omen since Tuscan wines have a strong correlation with critic scores. Now, wine buyers should be hearing alarm bells in their heads. “High quality wines. International demand. Glowing critic scores. These wines must cost a fortune.” Not so fast. Tuscany offers the second most affordable entry point into the fine wine market, behind only the Rhône. In fact, its reasonable prices and high quality have allowed Tuscany to siphon interest from merchants and collectors away from stalwarts like Burgundy and Bordeaux.
What's the Latest
This tectonic shift is best seen in the secondary market. In 2013, Italy accounted for less than 2 of trade by value. By 2018, it reached 8.5 and today enjoys a double-digit share of the market. That makes Tuscany the most traded wine region outside of France. Even with a volatile global economy, the Liv-ex Italy 100 index notched 9.2 growth in 2022. That ranks third amongst all indices last year. It gets even better. As the name suggests, the index features a range of wines from Italy. The Tuscan components - such as Masseto, Sassicaia, and Solaia - outperformed their counterparts from Piedmont during that span, 12.2 to 5.3. When the economy slowed in 2022, buyers flocked to invest in Super Tuscans. Their blend of history, high liquidity, and strong relative value made Super Tuscans attractive portfolio diversifiers. The red wine had such high demand that it accounted for a whopping 22.1 of all Italian wines traded on the secondary market.
Looking Forward
If the future of the fine wine market were summarized in one word, it would be “broadening.” Ten years ago, Bordeaux had a stranglehold on the industry, accounting for 96 of trade. In recent years, that grip has loosened as buyers seek out great wines from other regions, including Tuscany. The increased interest has resulted in the number of traded Tuscan labels doubling every two years. There’s no reason to think that trend will slow anytime soon. Super Tuscans have cemented the region at the highest echelon of fine wine, while Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti keep buyers coming back for more. Tuscany is also well-positioned to handle the climate crisis. The Mediterranean climate and undulating landscape should mitigate some of the severe consequences of a constantly warming planet. The region’s widespread embrace of sustainable practices doesn’t hurt, either. Time will tell how the heat and rain, or lack thereof, will impact Tuscan viticulture. For now, the region’s future remains as bright as ever.