The 2016 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne is a Sangiovese Grosso varietal hailing from the renowned Brunello di Montalcino sub-region in Tuscany, Italy. This red wine, bottled at 14.5% alcohol and sealed with a cork, has garnered high praise from multiple professional reviewers, emphasizing its complexity and elegance.
James Suckling awarded this wine a score of 96, highlighting its "complex array of crushed blackberries, cloves, nutmeg, and cigar smoke on the nose." He noted its full-bodied nature and firm, intense tannins, stating that the wine's cedar and ripe brambleberries transition to dark chocolate on the finish. Suckling even speculates it might be the "best ever," advising to drink it after 2025 (jamessuckling.com, 11/11/2020).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, also giving a score of 96, described the wine as having a dark color and rich concentration, emphasizing its "fun character" and "vertical intensity." The review noted the wine's "sweet cherry and tart apple skin" without any heaviness. The fruit's richness was attributed to the vineyard site, located at 225 meters above sea level with medium-rich soils and lots of clay. Reviewer ML recommended it for those who enjoy a softer side to Brunello (12/1/2020).
Vinous, with a score of 95, praised the wine for trading power for "undeniable elegance," describing a vivid display of "crushed black cherries, clove, nutmeg, and cedar shavings." The wine was noted for its velvety-smooth, cool-toned palate and compact core of ripe dark fruits wrapped in saline-minerals, brisk acids, and tannins. The review concluded by calling it a "showstopper" (11/1/2020).
Wine Enthusiast gave it a score of 93, noting aromas of "violet, underbrush, ripe berry, and camphor." The review highlighted its elegantly structured nature with flavors of "juicy morello cherry, cranberry, and licorice," ending in a coffee-bean finish. The wine's fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity were also praised (5/1/2021).
Lastly, Wine Spectator rated it 94, focusing on its "bright beam of black cherry" and flavors of "blackberry, tobacco, and tar." The review mentioned its punchy nature, building to a long finish dominated by dusty tannins, recommending it be best enjoyed between 2024 and 2042 (4/14/2021).
Overall, the 2016 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne is a highly acclaimed wine, lauded for its complexity, elegance, and rich character.