Brunello di Montalcino 2016

Provenance

The late David Brice was a respected wine connoisseur, collector and co-founder of Wine Cellar, fine wine merchants. His lifelong passion for wine from all corners of the world wine, and generosity, helped develop a culture of fine wine in South Africa and beyond. Always with value and authenticity in mind, the collection spans a wide range of styles from leading producers and diverse regions. The wines were professionally imported under refrigeration and carefully stored at Wine Cellar thereafter. Many of the producers are not available in South Africa and provide an excellent buying opportunity.

David celebrated the variation of vintage but also took advantage of great vintages. Over the last 10 years the 2016s have proven to be one of the greatest modern-day Bordeaux vintages, on par or superior to the likes of 2010, 2009 or 2005. Across Bordeaux, the wines are structured and pure combining exotic notes and sweet fruit. As part of our annual 10-year auction, we showcase 2016 Bordeaux vintage which will delight over many decades, especially in large format. David also bought the highly regarded Italian vintage, which produced exceptional wines in Piedmont and Tuscany especially.

For more detailed information on the lots, please feel free to contact Roland Peens (roland@winecellar.co.za). Roland spent many years sharing and enjoying these wines with David Brice and is happy to provide further insight into the collection.

Critics Ratings

‘This is really beautiful with complex black cherry, berry, walnut and dark chocolate. Some mushroom and smoke. It’s tight and reserved with polished tannins and wonderful balance and finesse. Persistent and intense. Drink after 2025.’ - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, 97/100 (Oct 2020)

‘The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens rich and dark in the glass, with spiced orange hints that brighten the mood as tobacco combines with a dusting of cocoa, underbrush and ripe black cherries. This is surprisingly juicy and pliant, light on its feet, with silken textures and ripe red fruits that soothe beneath an air of rosy inner florals. The 2016 tapers off with a tart sensation, leaving chalky tannins that cake the palate as a tart wild berry twang adds tension toward the close. This is maturing beautifully in bottle and already starting to give pleasure, yet waiting is highly recommended. 2025-2040’ - Eric Guido, Vinous, 96+/100 (Nov 2025)

‘The Uccelliera 2016 Brunello di Montalcino opens to dark fruit and wild cherry with warmer tones of cured tobacco, spice and potting soil. It shows the extra density, darkness and richness that comes so beautifully to fruit grown on the sun-drenched southern side of Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the southern half of the appellation. What Uccelliera delivers so carefully, vintage after vintage, is a truly exceptional sense of mouthfeel with textural richness and lingering creaminess. It is also one of the wines that consistently shows a sense of place. This is a touchstone estate for this specific Montalcino microclimate. Production is 29,000 bottles. 2024-2045’ - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Nov 2020)