“Top 100” by “Wine Spectator”: the Brunello Riserva 2016 by Fattoria dei Barbi at No. 2

It climbs up to the second position, one step away from the top, of the “Top 100” by “Wine Spectator” which will be unveiled tomorrow, the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 from Fattoria dei Barbi, a historic brand in the area, which has been producing Brunello since 1892, and among the 25 wineries that, in 1967, gave birth to the Doc. A good sign, for what “is by now without big doubts the best wine in Italy”, Stefano Cinelli Colombini, at the helm of Fattoria dei Barbi, comments to WineNews.
“The Riserva has enormous potential, all of which needs to be explored, and which, in a time of great change, such as the one that Brunello di Montalcino is currently experiencing, could play a critical role. The vintage always reaches a very high level, but the Riserva stands out as a qualitative peak made up of 1-2 million bottles, just enough to climb another rung on the quality ladder. It is a step that we must all take together, as we have done up to now while maintaining our spirit and not changing our prerogatives. This milestone, second only to that achieved by Casanova di Neri in with the Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2001 (which reached position n.1, ed), attests to the strength of tradition in a landscape where one can aspire to be great by remaining true to oneself, as Montalcino chose to do, or by innovating, as Bolgheri demonstrates”.
“Focusing on the Riserva - continues Stefano Cinelli Colombini - is in my opinion the right key for the future, even more than zoning, which, in an era of rapid and sudden climate change, becomes impervious, because fixing the pedoclimatic peculiarities of a single parcel becomes very difficult. And then, beyond wine, we should make Montalcino an extraordinary attraction for quality wine tourism, even more than it is today, in order to promote and sell our production niches directly in the territory, which today represents only 5-6% of the total sales”, comments Stefano Cinelli Colombini.
“We are doubly happy with this recognition because it goes to one of the founding companies of the Consortium, Fattoria dei Barbi, which made the history of Brunello di Montalcino. We will never stop thanking the Cinelli Colombini family, starting with Stefano Cinelli Colombini, who has always been committed to keeping alive the memory and tradition of a denomination that over the years has become a symbol of world enology. “Benvenuto Brunello”, starting tomorrow, therefore begins in the best possible way in the awareness that this yet another recognition is also a stimulus for the new generations of Brunello”, commented the president of the Brunello Consortium, Fabrizio Bindocci.
The long countdown towards the “Wine of the Year” - an honor that has just happened four times to Italy of wine, with the Sassicaia 2015 of Tenuta San Guido in 2018, with the Brunello di Montalcino 2001 Tenuta Nuova di Casanova di Neri in 2006, with Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s Ornellaia 1998 in 2001 and Antinori’s Solaia 1997 in 2000 - started on Monday, and the Belpaese has already placed two of its most iconic labels in the top ten. Yesterday it was the turn of Tignanello 2019, the super Tuscan of Marchesi Antinori, at position No. 5 (here the article by WineNews), while the previous day it was the 2019 Saffredi of Fattoria Le Pupille that placed itself at No. 8, the first time for a Maremma wine at the top of the “Top 100” by “Wine Spectator” (we talked about it here).
To complete the ranking, going backward, position No. 6 went to Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville The Estates 2019 by Robert Mondavi, position No. 7 to Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019 by Château de Beaucastel, Louis Roederer’s Cristal 2014, one of the most iconic Champagnes is at the position No. 10, and Quilceda Creek 2018, Columbia Valley (Washington State) Cabernet, No. 9. The entire ranking will, on the other hand, be announced on Monday 14 November, symbolically closing a week that, since 1988, has accompanied the world of wine and the hopes of producers to enter what is one of the most prestigious rankings, and for this, more coveted. A year ago, in the very small circle of the top 10 wines in the world according to Wine Spectator - which saw the Napa Valley’s Dominus Estate 2018 at the top - there were two Italian labels - Brunello di Montalcino 2016 “Le Chiuse”, at No. 5, and the Barolo Bricco Boschis 2016 Cavallotto, at No. 8.