Wine Advisor
Fuligni, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Eric Guido
It’s hard to put down a glass of the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. This youthfully restrained yet remarkably pretty wine trades power for undeniable elegance and refinement. It’s dark and moody at times, bright and focused on radiant fruits at others. Layer after layer of crushed black cherry, woodland herbs, autumnal spice, mint leaf, cedar box and earth resonate in the glass. Its silky textures coat all that they touch in a mix of dark red berries and salty minerals, turning dry and structured toward the close under an air of inner florals and earth tones. It will be some time before the 2015 is ready, but I hope to be able to revisit this when it is. Tasted twice with consistent results.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Fuligni gives us a truly special expression from this sunny and warm vintage. What I notice first in the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is the elegance of the aromas and those dusty, almost salty mineral notes of crushed limestone that frame the delicate fruit packed tight within. There are other distinctive aromas here, such as balsam herb, dried mint and powdered licorice root that add more layers to the bouquet. That layering continues to the palate where the wine excels on all fronts—balanced concentration, structure and freshness. This is a unique creation and a very precious wine. It is one of the stand outs of the year.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A tight, linear red with plums, chocolate and walnuts and some forest-floor and porcini mushroom undertones. Complex and aromatic. Full-bodied with dense, chewy tannins that are intense and powerful. Flavorful and long. Opulent. Don’t drink before 2024.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This has a crazy nose of white truffles, wild berries, cherry blossoms, porcini mushrooms, earth, white pepper, sage, blueberries, cocoa and seashells. Full-bodied with such elegance and subtle power. Layered. Very fine, seamless tannins. Keeps going. Try after a year or two.
About the Producer
The Fuligni Family, of ancient Venetian origin, moved to England in the 14th century to lead a Free Company supporting Edward III, receiving favours and honours from the Crown. When the Habsburg-Lorraine became head of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Luigi Fuligni moved to Tuscany as a general of the new rulers. The vineyards, of approximately fourteen hectares, are mostly located on the north-eastern slope of Montalcino, with the classic exposure for Brunello. Other vineyards are located south-east, where the soil is mixed (tuff and clay). The vines are on average around 15 years old, although there are some mother vines which are over forty years old and which carry older clones of Sangiovese (with a lower yield per hectare).
