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Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Vigna Di Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016 - First Bottle

Technical Details

Blend	Sangiovese
Country	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Appellation	Montalcino
Aging/Cooperage	3 years in 7,5-30hl Salvonian oak barrels followed by over 12 months of bottle ageing
Alcohol	15

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Vigna Di Pianrosso Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

Sangiovese Blends | Italy

JS99, WS98, WA97+, WE95, VN94, DC93

$149.95 $200.00 - 750mL

99, 98, 97+, and more – this wine has some dedicated fans out there in the wine critic world. 98 from Wine Spectator! Only THREE Brunellos EVER have scored higher (and none in the last 15 years!). Historic producer, monumental vintage, best of the best fruit and barrel selections...it is as though this wine was always destined for greatness! All at the best price in the country. Let’s go!

On the southeast slope of Montalcino, close to the medieval village of Castelnuovo dell’Abate and the famous Romanesque Abbey of Sant’Antimo, you’ll find the Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona estate. With origins dating back to the 17th century, this singular estate has more recently passed into the hands of the Bianchini family. Giuseppe Bianchini was the longtime caretaker and farmer of the estate under the previous owners, and it was Countess Elda Ciacci who bequeathed the entire property to him in 1985.

The estate extends to over 220 hectares of land, 55 of which are planted to vine (and another 40 in olive trees). Quite the gift, right? These south-facing vineyards are located in the heart of the Val d’Orcia Park – an Unesco World Heritage site that perfectly encapsulates everything your mind envisions when you dream of Tuscany. Rolling hills, vines, and groves surrounded by forests and streams, with red-baked earth...simply heaven and a spectacular place to grow Sangiovese Grosso. The deep, rich soils here are medium grain in texture with frequent deposits of marl and shale that dates back to the Eocene period (54-33 million years ago).

This Brunello di Montalcino Riserva hails from a careful selection of the best grapes from the oldest vines in the estate’s 12-hectare Pianrosso vineyard – all lovingly tended for three years in Slovenian oak barrels stacked deep in the cellar beneath the winery by Guisseppe’s son, Paolo. The aromas of this intensely layered and complex wine showcase ripe and fresh fruit notes of Morello cherries and raspberries, with spicy clove and nutmeg sensations, alongside red roses and violets. The flavors are a finely woven tapestry of red cherries, blood orange, pipe tobacco, balsamic, fennel, and black currant – bound together with a mineral, almost scorched-earth note and a spine of zippy acidity. The finish on this goes on seemingly forever, and though it will certainly benefit from aging...it presents quite the tempting package in the here and now. We’ve had this winery on our radar for a few years now, and even scored a couple of bottles of the 2010 and 2011 vintage way back when. This is the first time we’ve secured enough to send an offer and we are thrilled to do so with the earth-shattering 2016 vintage! Unquestionably one of the highlights of the entire monumental vintage for Brunello di Montalcino and not to be missed!!!

Technical Details

Blend	Sangiovese
Country	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Appellation	Montalcino
Aging/Cooperage	3 years in 7,5-30hl Salvonian oak barrels followed by over 12 months of bottle ageing
Alcohol	15%

About The Producer

The estate has origins that date back to the 17th century and the ancestry of Pope Pius III. In 1985 countess Elda Ciacci bequeathed the entire property to Giuseppe Bianchini, farmer of the estate for many years. Giuseppe passed away in 2004 but left the business to his son and daughter, Paolo and Lucia. The entire estate, extending over 220 hectares of which 55.5 are in vines and 40 in olive groves, has all the typical characteristics of the Tuscan countryside adorned with rolling hills, pastures, and woods with unforgettable colors.

Reviews

James Suckling
Glorious aromas of flowers, nutmeg, dark berries, earth and black cherries follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that are long and extremely polished. They go on for minutes. Reserved and shy still, due to its excellence. Give this four or five years to come around. Try after 2024.

Wine Spectator
Both fluid and concentrated at once, this exudes cherry, black currant, violet and mineral aromas and flavors.Saturated with ripe fruit, this has beautifully integrated acidity and tannins, with a racy profile that drives the superlong finish. The tannins flex their muscles at the end yet remain refined.

97+

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d'Oro is gorgeous, full stop. It shows an incredible level of Sangiovese purity and sharpness, and you taste the grape as if you were eating berries straight out of the vineyard. On top of that healthy and bright primary material, the wine layers on elegant aromas of spice, ferrous earth, balsam herb and red rose potpourri. The aromas meet with seamless integration and segue to ongoing depth and complexity offered to the palate. This Riserva is rather delicate in terms of mouthfeel; however, it is powerful and long, with high alcohol, polished tannins and a silky texture. A hint of sweet cherry mixed with menthol freshness pulls it together at the end.

Wine Enthusiast
Underbrush, scorched earth, camphor and pipe tobacco aromas shape the nose. Full-bodied and densely concentrated, the firm, muscular palate features dried cherry, licorice and marinated prune framed in tightly woven, close-grained tannins. You'll also notice the warmth of alcohol on the close.

Vinous
Dark yet wonderfully perfumed, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d'Oro blossoms in the glass to present a bouquet of dried strawberries and roses complemented by hints of blood orange and clove. It shows the power and grace of a well-muscled dancer as a dense wave of ripe red and black fruits rushes across the palate, lifted by bright acidity, while leaving a mix of saline-minerals and grippy tannins toward the close. Though structured for the long haul, the 2016 maintains unexpected vibrancy, finishing with hints of plum and almond. This is simply stunning.

Decanter
From the estate’s Pianrosso vineyard in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate area, Santa Caterina d’Oro bears the imprint of Montalcino’s south. The spiced, floral potpourri is tangled with sunbaked terracotta scents. This is a substantial, hefty wine with lots of extract and a profusion of fleshy red plum and prune. The tannins are very suave, while sandy earthiness lurks in the background and a salty tang comes through on the finish. Ageing is in Slavonian oak barrels of 7.5 to 30 hectolitres in size.