Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Brunello di Montalcino, Pianrosso 2019

Dried cherries and flowers, such as roses and rose stems, as well as dried mushrooms and dried flowers. Medium to full body with super integrated tannins that are firm and racy and caress the palate like fine silk. A little shy now, but will open even more with time or decanting. Drink or hold.

The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens to a wide and all-encompassing bouquet with dried cherry or cherry pie with the crust, plum tart and rose potpourri. There are evident oak tones, but they fold into underbrush, grilled herb and the generous texture of this wine. Likewise, the 15% alcohol content also neatly disappears into the wine's fleshy fruit consistency. For sure, this is a wine that needs more bottle evolution in order to hone in on the silkiness and pretty freshness of such an important Sangiovese. Exactly 43,054 bottles were made along with about 1,000 larger formats.

The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso tempts the imagination with a darkly alluring bouquet that keeps the taster at the edge of the glass as a cooling whiff of smoke gives way to dried flowers, cedar and exotic spice. It flows across the palate with textures of pure silk, finessed and graceful, with depths of intense red and black fruits that slowly saturate. The 2019 turns inward upon itself through the finish, tannic and long with notes of licorice and cacao bean. This is a serious rendition of Pianrosso that will require patience to enjoy fully. That said, it’s sure to be worth the wait.

The 11.69-hectare Pianrosso vineyard sits on iron-rich marly soil, and as it typically gives a more structured Sangiovese, it is singled out for this selection, as well as the estate’s Riserva in years it’s made. Pianrosso 2019 rings out with its signature heady scents. Gorgeous mint, pink peppercorn and orange peel converge with tar and mocha. On the palate, it offers more substance and concentration than the estate bottling yet is still of the elegant mould. Lush in fruit and smooth in texture, it is accessible now and built for mid-term ageing.