2016 Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino Le Due Porte
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Grape: Sangiovese
Culinary Suggestions: Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine Steak), lamb chops, rich pasta dishes or charcuterie
Vineyard Practice: Organic
About
Il Palazzone, the illustrious "Big Palace," stands as a testament to the power of passion and commitment. For over ten years, this small estate has been producing wines of exquisite elegance, crafted with the utmost care and attention to detail. Although the estate spans a modest 20 acres, only 10 acres have been authorised for the production of the coveted Brunello di Montalcino, creating a tightly controlled environment for wine-making.
Under the watchful eye of a wine-loving New Yorker, the owner and proud steward of Il Palazzone, every detail of the vineyard is attended to with the utmost precision. Despite the constraints of his day job as a businessman, the owner is personally present at harvest time and every other key moment in the wine's development, ensuring that no care is spared in the vinification process.
Located on the western side of Montalcino, the estate is perched at a lofty altitude of roughly 480 meters above sea level, affording excellent ventilation and reducing mold production to a bare minimum. The constant action of the wind, combined with the unique characteristics of the soil, imbues the wines with a distinctive elegance and depth of character.
At the heart of Il Palazzone's vinification process lie its venerable vines, over twenty years old and boasting deep root systems that enable them to endure even the harshest droughts. The roots draw minerals and components not present in the topsoil, enriching the taste and aromas of the wines.
As a bastion of environmentally responsible wine-making, Il Palazzone adheres to all EEC regulations for organic intervention in the vineyard. Each year, the estate produces roughly 20,000 bottles of wine, each one a testament to the passion and commitment that have made Il Palazzone a cherished cornerstone of the wine-making community.
Tasting Notes
The bouquet on the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Le Due Porte is simply stunning, wafting up with dusty rose, incense and cloves before giving way to dried strawberries and lavender. This is elegance personified, gliding across the palate with velvety textures while ushering in mineral-laced red berries and violet-tinged inner florals. Though it’s structured and geared for the cellar, there’s a purity here that mixes with the residual acids to create a remarkably fresh impression, as hints of licorice and sour cherry fade. Now in its second vintage, Le Due Porte, a cru bottling from Il Palazzone’s highest-elevation vineyard, shows tremendous potential.
94+ points - Eric Guido, Vinous Media October 2021
Drink: 2024 - 2032
Blackberry, blueberry and orange blossom aromas. Full-bodied with fine, creamy tannins and crunchy fruit. Flavorful and fine with a lovely length. Drink or hold.
94 points - jamessuckling September 2022
This wine is held back for an additional year before its commercial release, and in fact, this is only the second bottling from this vineyard. The Il Palazzone 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Le Due Porte occupies a place somewhere between fading primary fruit intensity and the onset of savory tertiary characteristics. It's not old and it's not new, but given that it's being released six years after the harvest, you can expect that additional complexity that comes with cellar age. On the palate, this wine offers some dry tannins and a mid-weight close. I recommend a short to mid-term drinking window. A limited 2,226 bottles were produced.
93 points - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate February 2022
Drink: 2023 - 2038