Le Chiuse’s 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a pure Sangiovese from a small, historically Biondi-Santi-linked estate on Montalcino’s north side. In a five-star vintage for the region, it combines classic structure with a notably refined, linear profile, and it has drawn some of the strongest critical response of the year. Wine Spectator not only rated it 98 points, but also placed it No. 5 in its Top 100 of 2021—an unusually prominent endorsement for the label.

In the glass, multiple reviewers converge on a floral-and-red-fruit core. Wine Spectator describes “pretty strawberry, currant and cherry flavors…in this taut and linear red,” layered with “floral, mineral and tobacco notes” and “refined tannins” (Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator). Vinous calls it “an understated beauty…a dazzling display of roses and violets” followed by “fresh-picked strawberries” and “autumnal spice,” finishing “decidedly salty” with “round tannins” (Eric Guido, Vinous).

At the top end, there are two perfect-score assessments. Jeb Dunnuck awards 100 points, citing “soft medicinal herbs, fresh soil, cherry fruit, and dried flowers,” plus black cherry, tea leaf, orange peel and “mineral-rich, stony earth,” concluding it’s “one of my favorite wines of the vintage” for its “nuanced, balanced style” (Jeb Dunnuck). Wine Enthusiast likewise gives 100 points, highlighting violet, wild berry, leather, tilled earth and spice, with a palate of cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise, tobacco and a black-tea finish, framed by “taut, refined tannins and bright acidity” (Kerin O’Keefe, Wine Enthusiast).

Winemaking details reinforce the traditional stance: fermentation and maceration ran 23 days with ambient yeasts, followed by 38 months in large casks. Reported production sits in the small-to-midsize range (around 13,500 bottles), and the best reviews emphasize that patience will be rewarded, with suggested drinking windows broadly spanning the mid-2020s into the 2040s.