Berry Bros – New Release – 2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Costanti
I am very pleased to offer you the superb 2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Conti Costanti.
Always among our, and our customers’ favourite, Brunelli, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Costanti is a very special offering.
The Costantis are an old Sienese family dating back to the fifteenth century. They appear in the history of Montalcino as being involved in the major event which led to the creation of the Republic of Siena in 1555. They were also one of the first families to call their wine Brunello, with an 1865 exhibited by Tito Costanti at a province of Siena show in 1870.
Then in 1983, a very young Andrea Costanti took over the family firm and started building the estate into the successful Brunello producer that we know today.
The winemaking style lies somewhere between the arch-traditionalists and the modernists with fermentation in stainless steel with two weeks maceration on the skins, followed by 18 months in 500 litre French oak barrels and 18 months in Slavonian oak botti, before 12 months in bottle before release.
The 2016 is a stunning Costanti with great notes from the critics, Eric Guido of Vinous says that “There’s a sensuality to Costanti’s 2016 Brunello di Montalcino” before going on to put that “The textures are velvety-smooth and elegant, ushering in a dense core of fleshy red berry fruits, which leave a coating of crystalline minerals and fine tannins in their wake.”
Meanwhile Monica Larner of the Wine Advocate notes that it “shows warm fruit layering with cherry, wild raspberry and plum. You might also notice some touches of sweetness with candied orange skin and lavender honey”.
Great mature vintages are almost impossible to find and sell for a premium if you can find them, so my advice would be to secure some of this fabulous Brunello while you can and enjoy it in a decade or so’s time.
2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Costanti
£348 GBP per case of 6 bottles in bond
£136 GBP per single magnum in bond (limited availability)
£296 GBP per double magnum in bond (very limited availability)
“There’s a sensuality to Costanti’s 2016 Brunello di Montalcino. It’s something about the way it draws you in and warms the soul. Its bouquet straddles both the light and dark sides of Sangiovese, rising up with alluring flowery perfumes, cedar dust and crushed cherry, yet then swaying toward rich brown spices and clove. The textures are velvety-smooth and elegant, ushering in a dense core of fleshy red berry fruits, which leave a coating of crystalline minerals and fine tannins in their wake. Though structured and aching for a stay in the cellar, you can’t help but pour another glass of this simply spellbinding Brunello. While in need of three to five years in the cellar for optimal enjoyment, the 2016 is absolutely worth checking in on today. Drink 2025 – 2038.”
96/100 points – Eric Guido, Vinous, November 2020
“The Conti Costanti 2016 Brunello di Montalcino shows warm fruit layering with cherry, wild raspberry and plum. You might also notice some touches of sweetness with candied orange skin and lavender honey. At the back of it all, you get tilled earth and a touch of black olive. This wine reveals good complexity to the bouquet and follows up with a streamlined, mid-weight mouthfeel. I found this vintage to be shorter compared to the 2015 edition tasted earlier in the year. Production is 35,000 bottles. Drink 2024-2040.”
94/100 points – Monica Larner, Wine Advocate November 2020
Due to arrive to our warehouse Autumn 2021.
Kind regards,
Ian
