Palazzo Brunello di Montalcino 2016

This much-admired family estate was founded in 1983 by Cosimo Loia and his wife Antoinette. They chose the site because it bore her maiden name, Palazzo, and, serendipitously, it has proved to be a cracker. With young vines, the couple started out making table wines, then Rosso di Montalcino, with their first Brunello in 1995. With a Suckling score of 95 this vintage, they obviously made a great choice and their passion for wine shows through in every release. The property lies at 320m altitude, high in the SE of Montalcino. Just 4 hectares grow Sangiovese Grosso (the Brunello grape), the rest is planted to olive trees. Now converted to organic, they're meticulous in the vineyard and lay a gentle hand in the cellar. Cellar and decant early.