Caprili Brunello di Montalcino 2016

I found a tiny under-the-radar producer in the southwestern hills of Montalcino, that up until the 2015 vintage had managed to stay out of the hands of wine critics. But with critics scouring for every bottle of 2015 and 2016 to enjoy review, tiny Caprili caught the attention of the most formidable critics in the world, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. The Advocate gave Caprili’s 2015 single-vineyard Riserva a roaring 96+ point score, a score which ruffled feathers in Tuscany. Who is Caprili and was this a fluke? That question would be answered less than a year later.

In the 2016 vintage, the Wine Advocate understandably fawned over this hidden jewel, showering it with a 95-point review and calling it “smooth and silky” and commenting on the “beautiful energy on hand.” But this wasn’t their $120/bottling, it was their estate Brunello di Montalcino at a ridiculously good price.