The Madonna of Brunello - Finest Ever!?
2016 Riserva - Wine of the Vintage!?

Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano is one of Brunello’s iconic Riservas.

The vineyards of Valdicava are located along the slopes of the famed Montosoli, a portion of Montalcino regarded for its aromatic Sangiovese and structure. In 2016, the hills of Montosoli yielded a bevy of amazing wines and of course Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano is one of them.

This may be the finest vintage yet of Madonna del Piano!

The wines of Valdicava are beloved by many, and frankly used to be polarizing to many. Lumped into the “modernist” grouping of Brunello producers, Valdicava was mistakenly thought to be an estate focused on french oak, extraction, and decadence. The truth is yes the estate is known for its power and structure that come partially from extraction but that is the beauty of the vineyards along Montosoli. Valdicava is much more traditional than modern in terms of how the wines are made and raised. The farming at this property is impeccable and the concentration achieved in the grapes is what is transparent in the wines. Like all great wine estates, every vintage is a learning experience and hundreds of tiny modifications are made that will impact the future vintages. Valdicava is one of those estates that has been working for decades on harnessing the power and elegance of Montosoli. An achievement that the estate has accomplished with the 2016 vintage like never before. 

The 2016 Madonna del Piano has all the great qualities and signatures of the vintage. The fruit is impeccable. The nose is bursting with aromatics. The structure is built for decades upon decades, but the seductive caressing tannins and refinement hold everything perfectly in place. The wine will only blossom in the bottle but even today with time in a decanter this wine is absolutely stunning and hard to resist. A character that so many vintages of Madonna del Piano in the past did not have as they required so much patience for the wine to show its true character.

The acclaim and remarks from the wine press is gushing positively about the Madonna del Piano 2016 and the Wine Spectator has rated this wine the highest score of the vintage tied with a handful of noted estates. Furthermore, the 2016 Madonna del Piano is also the highest score for Valdicava tying the epic 2001 and 2006 vintages. 

Both Bruce Sanderson and Monica Larner write of the wine’s elegance, balance and freshness with a finish that never stops. James Suckling applauds the wine’s bouquet and states that this wine “impresses at every level.”

This is the grandeur of Valdicava’s Madonna del Piano where it has paired seamlessly and perfectly with the 2016 vintage character. This is the new benchmark for this estate that is sure to stand the test of time as one of the greatest wines ever here.

Cheers,
Jeremy

PS…The 2017 Brunello and 2020 Rosso are also at the top of the category respectively and are not to be missed. There is just so much to say and so little time! Check them out, they are great!