Cabreo Il Borgo 2016: A Mature Tuscan Blend That Has Finally Absorbed Its Oak
Cabreo Il Borgo 2016 comes from the hills around Greve in Chianti, where Tenute del Cabreo has produced this Toscana IGT since the first 1982 vintage. The wine belongs to the older generation of Super Tuscans, built around Sangiovese and Bordeaux varieties rather than the rules of Chianti Classico.
The 2016 vintage is especially interesting today because the wine has moved beyond its primary oak-driven phase. Fruit remains intact, but tertiary notes are now much more visible, while the tannins have softened considerably. This is no longer a bottle that needs patience before it becomes expressive; it is entering one of the most convincing stages of its life.
The Basics
- Producer: Tenute del Cabreo – Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari
- Wine: Cabreo Il Borgo
- Vintage: 2016
- Appellation: Toscana IGT
- Area: Greve in Chianti, Tuscany
- Grapes: Approximately equal parts Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
- Altitude: Around 300 metres
- Soils: Stony Tuscan soils with galestro and alberese influence
- Fermentation: Stainless steel at controlled temperature
- Maceration: Around 18 days
- Ageing: Around 18 months in French oak, including new and used barriques, followed by bottle ageing
- Alcohol: 14%
- Production: Around 60,000 bottles
- Current stage: Mature but still energetic
Appearance
Bright ruby moving toward garnet at the rim. The colour still has good depth, but the evolution is visible and consistent with a wine approaching ten years from harvest.
Nose
The fruit is now darker and more composed than youthful. Ripe black cherry, blackberry and blackcurrant sit alongside clove, cedar, tobacco and a clear undergrowth note, with hints of leather and dried herbs appearing after a few minutes in the glass.
The French oak has integrated well. Vanilla and toast are still detectable, but they no longer sit above the fruit, which is an important change compared with younger bottles.
Palate
The palate is full but not heavy, with good acidity running through the centre. Sangiovese keeps the wine lively, while Cabernet gives structure and Merlot rounds the texture.
The tannins are now fine, silky and well integrated, and the fruit has moved from fresh blackberry toward darker cherry, plum and currant. There is also a savoury layer of liquorice, tobacco and forest floor that gives the wine more depth than it had in youth.
What stands out most is balance. The 2016 has enough fruit and structure to remain substantial, but the components are now much more coherent than they were several years ago.
Finish
Long and savoury, with dark cherry, liquorice, cedar, tobacco and earthy spice. The finish remains dry and firm rather than sweet, with enough acidity to prevent the mature fruit from becoming soft.
Ready to Drink?
Yes. This is probably one of the best moments to drink the 2016.
The tannins have relaxed, tertiary aromas are fully emerging and the fruit is still alive. There is no urgency, but there is also little reason to wait for dramatic improvement.
A good drinking window is now through roughly 2032–2035, assuming correct storage.
Serving and Decanting
Serve at 16–17°C.
A short decant of around 30 minutes is enough. Longer aeration is unnecessary unless the bottle initially appears closed.
Use a generous Bordeaux-style glass to give the mature balsamic and earthy notes enough room to develop.
Food Pairings
Cabreo Il Borgo 2016 now suits savoury dishes better than aggressively grilled meat. Try pappardelle with hare ragù, peposo dell’Impruneta, braised beef cheek with juniper, or roast pigeon with porcini mushrooms.
For cheese, choose Pecorino Toscano Stagionato, Parmigiano Reggiano 30 months and Comté 24 months.
Price and Value
The 2016 originally sat around €40–€45, and remaining bottles still often trade in roughly that range depending on provenance and storage.
At around €40–€50, it represents strong value for a mature Tuscan red with nearly a decade of development already behind it. The main buying consideration is no longer theoretical ageing potential but bottle condition.
Well-stored examples are much more interesting now than young vintages bought at similar prices.
