Uccelliera is one of my favourite Montalcino producers year after year. In anticipation of their blockbuster 2016 I opened one of my last bottles of 2010 over the weekend - what a wine! The 2010 is just singing right now, I wish I had bought more. For my money Uccelliera consistently represents the best buy in Montalcino. Andrea Cortonesi’s Brunellos stack up next to many I taste at more than double the price, and they rate as highly too! If you love great Brunello as much as I do its one to buy by the case, I know I am.  

Uccelliera Brunello di Montalcino 2016

Sale $64.99

97 pts James Suckling
96+ pts Vinous Media
96 pts Wine Advocate
95 pts Jeb Dunnuck
95 pts Wine Spectator

"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." - JS

"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino blends richness, ripeness and refinement to create a model of total balance. At first, it’s dark, earthy and herbal; yet with time in the glass, a massive wave of black cherry, raspberry, sage and a grounding note of undergrowth comes forward. In the mouth, it coats all that it touches in silky, cool-toned textures, giving way to ripe red/black fruits complemented by spiced citrus, as nuances of lavender and tobacco form. While this feels round and pliant throughout, fine-grain tannins slowly saturate, sneaking up and reminding you of just how young the 2016 really is today. Hints of baker’s chocolate, licorice and a twang of tart blackberry resonate - wow, does it ever end?" - VM

"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." - WA

"Burly tannins put a grip on the black cherry, black currant, plum, earth and tobacco flavors in this dense version, yet it's also vibrant, building to a lingering finish. All the components are in the right place, so this should come together nicely over time. Best from 2024 through 2045." - WS

"The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is sourced from three vineyard sites in Castelnuovo dell’Abate and spent three years in French and Slavonian oak of various sizes. It offers very pretty, soft floral aromatics of violet, black raspberry, and sweet baking spice. Structurally, the palate is plush and round on the mid-palate, with soft tannins and generous warmth, but without excessive weight. Enjoy over the next 15 or more years." – JD

Or reply. The wine is available Thursday Chapel Hill. Friday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.