Wine Advocate 96 points.
Opening to a dark color and rich concentration, the Donatella Cinelli Colombini 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne (with 6,600 bottles made) shows a lot of fun character. I want to say that the wine is more modern or contemporary in style, but that's not really true. Yes, there's more fruity richness here, but the bouquet is also very vertical in intensity, lifted and bright. There's a fine spot of sweet cheery and tart apple skin. There is no heaviness. The fruit comes from a six-hectare site at a low 225 meters above sea level with medium-rich soils and lots of clay. That richness that I described evidently comes from the site, more than it does the cellar. If you enjoy a softer side to Brunello, you should seek the welcoming comfort of Prime Donne. ML Dec 2020.
96 points James Suckling: "A complex array of crushed blackberries, cloves, nutmeg and cigar smoke on the nose here. It's full-bodied with firm, intense tannins. Cedar and ripe brambleberries follow through to dark chocolate on the finish. Very complex. Best ever? Drink after 2025. (11/11/20)"
96 points International Wine Report: "Expressive and full of grace, it displays gentle notes of rose petals, lemon peel, ripe raspberries, cream cheese and cassis. In the background the dehydrated cherries and the mandarin juice give character and freshness to the complex matrix. Medium-full body, velvety tannins and a spicy finish that closes in a remarkable persistence. Better from 2022."
95 points Eric Guido (Vinous): "[$90 list]The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Prime Donne from Donatella Cinelli Colombini trades power for undeniable elegance. A vivid display of crushed black cherries, clove, nutmeg and cedar shavings creates an alluring bouquet with an autumnal feel. It’s velvety-smooth but also cool-toned and lifted, seeming to hover across the palate while showing a compact yet polished core of ripe dark fruits, wrapped in a web of saline-minerals, brisk acids and tannins. Seamless until the very end, the 2016 Prime Donne flexes its structural muscle while leaving haunting remnants of licorice, lavender and dried blackberries. It’s a showstopper. Drink: 2026-2038. (Nov 2020)"
