Brunello di Montalcino DOCG · Italy
2016 Piombaia La Crocina Brunello di Montalcino
A classically austere, enveloping Brunello from certified organic Montalcino vineyards, built on firm tannins and deep red fruit for long cellaring through the mid-2030s.
- Varietal
- Sangiovese
- Vintage
- 2016
Drinking Window
In 2026: At PeakIn the heart of its drinking window (2026-2036).
Right now: In May 2026, the Piombaia La Crocina 2016 is drinking in its window but revealing itself slowly. The wine opened for drinking in 2023 and has been approachable for three years, but the firmly tannic La Crocina style means that each year of additional cellaring delivers a meaningfully more expressive result. Right now, expect a wine that is serious and focused rather than immediately generous: the nose requires time in a broad decanter to open its layers of red fruit and violet, and the palate's enveloping tannins still dominate the finish. For those opening a bottle today, an extended decant of at least 90 minutes and a careful food pairing will deliver the best experience. The peak window from 2026 to 2036 puts this squarely in its prime over the next decade.
Tasting Note
Piombaia's 2016 La Crocina Brunello di Montalcino pours a deep, saturated ruby-red with a garnet rim and a richly opaque core that speaks to the concentration this certified organic estate achieves from its Sangiovese Grosso vines on the southwestern slopes of Montalcino. The nose is austere and classical in the finest sense: red fruit and dried cherry lead, followed by dried violet, underbrush, cedar, and a minerally, clay-earth note that is characteristic of this sector of the appellation. There is an enveloping quality to the aromatics, a sense of depth and layering rather than immediacy, that rewards patient attention. On the palate, La Crocina announces itself with presence. The tannins are the wine's defining feature at this stage: firm, enveloping, and persistent without being rough, they provide a structural scaffold of impressive proportion. Underneath, red fruit and dried herb flavors push through steadily, building in intensity through the midpalate to a finish of considerable length and mineral persistence. The wine's certified organic viticulture is evident in the precision and energy of the acidity, which keeps the wine fresh and well-defined despite its structural weight. This is an austere, serious Brunello that demands both patience and the right occasion.
About Piombaia
Piombaia is a certified organic estate in the southwestern sector of Montalcino, farming its Sangiovese Grosso vineyards with a commitment to biodynamic principles and minimal intervention that long predates such practices becoming fashionable in the denomination. La Crocina is the estate's selection from its oldest, most concentrated vine material, vinified and aged in a combination of large Slavonian oak casks and smaller barrels to achieve a balance of tertiary complexity and aromatic freshness. The estate's style is firmly classical and uncompromising: deep, tannic, and demanding of cellaring, with the raw structure to repay decades of patient aging.
Food Pairings
Cinghiale (wild boar) slow-braised with rosemary and Chianti
The wine's enveloping tannins find their natural foil in slow-braised game: the fat and gelatin of long-cooked boar soften the La Crocina's structural grip while the savory herbs echo its underbrush complexity.
Grilled T-bone with aged Parmigiano and olive oil
A simple preparation of high-quality beef lets the Piombaia La Crocina's mineral depth and red fruit register take center stage without competition from complex sauces.
Ribollita with Cavolo Nero and Cannellini beans
The classic Tuscan bread soup provides a rustic earthiness that complements the wine's dried herb and underbrush character, with the beans adding gentle richness to balance the tannin structure.
Service & Cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 17-19C / 63-66F
- Decanting
- Decant for 90 minutes minimum, ideally two hours. The La Crocina style is built around firm, persistent tannins that require significant air to soften. Pour gently into a wide-bodied decanter and allow to reach serving temperature before the first glass.
- Cellar Storage
- 12-14C / 54-57F
Frequently Asked
What does 'BIO' mean in the Piombaia La Crocina designation?
BIO indicates that the estate is certified organic, farming without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Piombaia has long practiced organic and biodynamic viticulture in the southwestern Montalcino zone.
Is La Crocina Piombaia's top wine?
Yes, La Crocina is the estate's selection Brunello, vinified from the oldest vine material and aged for the maximum allowable period to develop the greatest possible complexity and aging potential.
When will the 2016 La Crocina reach peak?
The peak window runs from 2026 to 2036. The wine is in its prime right now, though firm tannins mean an extended decant is always recommended before serving.
How does the southwestern Montalcino terroir affect this wine?
The southwestern sector's clay-rich soils and exposure produce wines of greater structural weight and darker fruit character than the sandy, higher-elevation sites to the north. La Crocina's firm tannin profile is a direct expression of these terroir conditions.
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