In pursuit of perfection
Filippo Chia is never quite satisfied with his wine; he always likes to muse on how it might have been better. His vision of Brunello is a 'search for best nuances of Sangiovese', those 'tiny variations that make a great wine unique'. Capturing them all is no mean feat; it demands ferocious attention in the vineyards then cellar work 'on tiptoe'. Perfectionism is a trait Filippo inherited from his father Sandro, who is if anything even more of a perfectionist - and who, back in the 1980s, acquired the ruins of Castello Romitorio and painstakingly restored both the building itself and the wild, overgrown vineyards.
The castle lies on a long ridge that runs down from Monte Amiata towards Siena, with a breathtaking view down into the Val d'Orcia. The vineyards lie around, above and below the castle on a series of plots at quite different altitudes (from 220-500 metres) and on quite diverse soil types ranging from shell-studded clay to galestro (a flaky schist) via albarese (a pebbly marl). Each of the parcels is vinified separately, then blended with the aim of achieving a balanced picture of the vintage. With the estate in the north-west of Montalcino, the wine tends to have a cool climate character, but is invariably expressive, spiced, complex.
Restoration was a labour of love that took the best part of 20 years, but brought success rolling in. Sandro always depended on his cellarmaster and local expert Franco Martini. These days, just as Sandro has been succeeded by Filippo, cellarmaster Franco has been succeeded by his own son Stefano; together they have surfed the wave of the 2016 Brunello vintage. Filippo still finds fault with his 2016 Brunello, but he has even less scope than usual to do so. /NT
'Dark, brooding and geared for the cellar, the 2016 Castello Romitorio Brunello di Montalcino takes its time opening up in the glass, yet patience is rewarded, as a mix of blackberry and cherry further blossoms, adding crushed stone minerality with hints of sage, lavender and violets. It’s silky and textural upon entry, yet it firms up quickly through a mix of vibrant acids and saturating fine tannin. However, there’s plenty of density to its primary fruits, feeling almost weighty in this youthful state yet perfectly balanced all the same. Savory herbs and spice linger along with tart red berries on the long, structured and dramatic finish. The 2016 is full of potential yet needs time in the cellar to show its best.' - 95 points, Eric Guido, vinous.com, November 2020
View all 2016 Brunello listed so far
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment Autumn 2021
