2016

Wine Spectator: A cooler year with a slow start and adequate rainfall resulted in a long growing season and ideal harvest conditions. Balanced, vibrant and tense Barolos; refined, elegant Barbarescos

Wine Searcher: Italy enjoyed a great vintage, with both Piedmont and Tuscany performing very well. The highlights mainly lie in the classic regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo and Tuscany.

Piedmont:
JR: Piemonte produced excellent quality wine in 2016, with ripeness to match the very good 2015 but firmer tannin and higher acidity. Ideal harvest conditions allowed the Nebbiolo to ripen fully, and yields were higher than average too. Arneis also fared well, producing precise, juicy white wines.

Tuscany/Chianti:
WS: Drink or Hold – Vibrant, elegant wines from a year that began cool, warming from July on; grapes harvested under ideal conditions.
JR: Another good vintage in Tuscany has produced wines with deep colour and impressive fragrance. However, yields were down by up to a fifth compared to the average. Chianti Classico enjoyed particularly good quality fruit.