Tasting Notes

“CastelGiocondo 2016 is yet another chapter that encapsulates the wonderful story of this wine. The ruby-red colour is vibrant and intense. The wide-ranging bouquet is utterly elegant with fruity sensations that pervade the nose when you first smell it. Hints of forest fruits and ripe red berries, accompanied by elegant floral notes, are the predominant aromas. When left to breathe, it releases scents of spices and balsamic notes, which give it remarkable balance and complexity. When tasted, it reveals a dense yet elegant tannic texture that, together with its characteristic mineral quality, envelops the palate and leaves a lasting impression thanks to its harmonious balance. The finish is long, warming and persistent, with resurging hints of sweet spices and balsamic notes.”

95 Points Wine Enthusiast – “Eucalyptus, blue flower, baked plum and spice aromas shape the nose in this fragrant red. Full bodied and chewy, the savory palate delivers ripe black cherry, vanilla, licorice and espresso alongside tightly knit, velvety tannins. Drink 2023-2031.”

95 Points James Suckling – “Black-cherry and blackberry aromas with minerals and fresh flowers, following through to a full body with firm, silky tannins that are polished and intense. Lovely finesse and length. Drink after 2023.”

93 Points Wine Spectator – “Starts out with macerated plum and cherry fruit, shaded by tobacco, iron and earth flavors. Dense, dusty tannins put the grip on the finish, yet this is also vibrant and finds a nice equilibrium in the end, with the fruit returning. Best from 2024 through 2042. 27,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.”

93 Points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – “The Frescobaldi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino CastelGiocondo shows dark fruit, plum and spice. The wine offers good density and richness, but the aromatic intensity is downplayed compared to some of its peers from this classic vintage. Other than that, all the wine’s elements are in the right place with cherry, wild plum, rose and tilled earth. Production is an ample 300,000 bottles.”

93 Points Antonio Galloni – “Sour cherries, spiced orange and dusty dried flowers open in the glass, as the 2016 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino slowly blossoms. The textures are creamy, contrasted by cooling minerality and juicy acids, as tart red berries saturate under an air of sweet herbs and inner florals. This finishes dry yet long, with chewy tannins and remnants of crunchy red fruit. The 2016 Castelgiocondo needs some time to come together, yet it has all of the balance necessary to mature into a real beauty.”